Travis Browne: I’ve Never Had A Problem With Sponsorships In The UFC

Fighter sponsorship is one of the hottest topics in MMA right now. Former UFC middleweight title challenger Nate Quarry took to the web to air his disdain for how his sponsorship guidelines evolved while he was with the UFC, and the picture he painted was not a pretty one.

UFC President Dana White was quick to respond that sponsorships “aren’t his f—— problem,” while CEO Lorenzo Fertitta pointed out that Quarry was fighting while the UFC was massively in debt. That statement should translate into a current sponsorship situation that is much more lucrative, and at least one top-ranked fighter has come forth to confirm that is the case.

Set to face Fabricio Werdum in a title eliminator bout at UFC on FOX 11 this April, No. 3-ranked heavyweight Travis “Hapa” Browne recently appeared at a UFC 170 Q&A session to clarify that he’s never had a problem securing sponsors:

“I hear a lot of complaining, honestly, from some of the fighters: ‘Oh, I don’t make anything on sponsorships, so I’m going to go complain and I’m going to whine about it, and I’m going to go out there and lose my next fight and I’m wondering why sponsorships don’t want to sponsor me.’ Unfortunately, in this sport you have athletes who aren’t full time athletes. They come out here and they fight, they’re a full time athlete for maybe two months before their fight.

This sport needs your dedication, needs your commitment. I have not had a problem with any of my sponsors, and I’ll tell you why. I am loyal to them, they are loyal to me. They come out and they see the dedication, the hard work, the sacrifices that I put into this sport and their company, and how can you deny somebody that?

If you have a guy that comes out there, hems and haws, makes excuses, do you wanna back that guy? I don’t; I don’t want to be anywhere near that guy. You know what I mean? So, I have no problems with sponsors, sponsors don’t have any problems with me, but it’s a give and take relationship.” – Via MMA Junkie

Browne makes an excellent point in stating that part time fighters aren’t going to get much in the way of sponsorships because they simply don’t bring in enough exposure. The full time fighters who are performing well and working hard are always going to get the big deals, so ultimately it’s on a fighter to make sure they train and perform to a level that will get them to the top where the money rolls in.

As far as the UFC’s policy on dealing with sponsorships, Browne didn’t touch on that. He obviously doesn’t see a problem with how the UFC charges or facilitates sponsors; he only wants to work hard at becoming the best heavyweight in the world.

And that’s what fighting is all about.

Once it’s all said and done, if you keep winning, you’re eventually going to gain some top-level sponsors. However, just like the issue of fighter pay, it’s lonely at the bottom for up-and-coming fighters who have to work part time jobs to support their families. They get paid peanuts to fight, and it’s no picnic trying to secure a sponsorship deal.

So basically it’s the lower level fighters who get the brunt of this backlash, but that’s not White’s problem. However, with the UFC putting on a record number of events (not always to great enthusiasm, either) and the sport beginning to fizzle after a highly lackluster gate at last weekend’s UFC 170, maybe it should be. What are your thoughts on the touchy subject?

Photo: Gary A. Vasquez for USA TODAY Sports