Brendan Schaub 'willing to bet' podcast t-shirts are outselling 'terrible' UFC 'fight kits'

Brendan Schaub isn’t ready to say he’s retired, but he is ready to step away from the UFC for an indefinite period of time. And his outside the octagon endeavors have made that decision easier.

Schaub used an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast to say that he was stepping away from active competition to focus on his podcasting career.

That career has led to a situation where he says he makes more from t-shirt sales for his “Fighter and The Kid” podcast than the UFC has made from selling Reebok ‘fight kits’ to fans.

“100 percent,” Shaub told MMAjunkie Radio. “As far as UFC fight kits sold, I’m willing to bet we sold more t-shirts this year than the UFC has sold ‘fight kits.’

“I’m not going to give the number out, but we’re doing well. You don’t want to brag about that kind of stuff. Is that really a compliment? Saying that we outsold UFC fight kits? Those things are terrible.”

Schaub believes that the issues facing the UFC and Reebok sponsorship partnership and ‘fight kit’ sales are numerous, but there may be no bigger issue than getting fans on board with a fighter pay structure that they don’t agree with.

“I think A) it’s $100 and B) fans smell bullsh-t, man,” Schaub said. “Fans know bullsh-t. You can’t bullsh-t the public anymore and get away with it. Reebok, first of all, no one really rocks Reebok. But we’ll support Reebok because they support the fighters. But, then you find out how much the fighters are making and fans do not support that. They smell bullsh-t. You think you’re going to honey dip an educated UFC fan and you’ve got another thing coming.

“You go on Reebok’s Facebook page and read the comments when they post something UFC and it’s tough. They’re going through a transitional period. I think everyone expected this and they can get their footing and make some changes to realize this wasn’t the way to go. I’m sure the UFC expected this.”

“Fighter and The Kid” has put Schaub in a financial situation few other fighters are fortunate enough to find themselves in during their fighting career.

In fact, Schaub says he’s making more money as a podcaster than he did stepping inside the octagon.

“Yeah (I make more podcasting), not even close,” Schaub said. “It’s tough, man. I’ve been in some big fights. I was on an ‘Ultimate Fighter’ contract for a lot of fights. That’s the nature of the business. That’s no one’s fault. I’m not blaming (UFC President) Dana White or the UFC. That’s the status of where the UFC’s at right now. It just so happens that I fought in this time period and they’re going through a transitional period.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.