Mixed martial arts organisation the Resurrection Fighting Alliance has agreed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Adidas, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper.
RFA acts as a feeder series to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Under the terms of the deal the Adidas logo will appear on the RFA cage, competition mat, cage fencing and bumpers and on all RFA promotional signage, graphics and digital platforms. All RFA fighters will wear Adidas MMA gloves.
Las Vegas-based RFA signed the agreement with Double-D, Adidas Combat Sports licensors, for more than a decade.
“It’s a big step in the right direction for our young organisation to be affiliated with a partner like Adidas,” Resurrection Fighting Alliance president Ed Soares said.
Raul Montolfo, national director of sales and product development for Double-D/Adidas Global, said the RFA partnership is a better fit for the company than a deal with the UFC as Adidas is keen to associate itself with rising MMA stars.
He added: “Our goal is to start with a grassroots program and introduce the MMA line to a new market. We wanted to be part of a whole community of young athletes. It’s a market we really want to get into.”