Sean O?Malley is quickly growing into one of the UFC?s most popular fighters, especially after an emphatic first round knockout victory over Eddie Wineland at UFC 250.
O?Malley, much like every other fighter in the UFC, is a part of a sponsorship deal with Reebok, but that deal has left O?Malley feeling shortchanged.
?I got royalties from Reebok,? O?Malley said on Brendan Schaub?s Food Truck Diaries (via Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting). ?If I read it right - which I think I did, and I even sent it to my dad like, ?Did I read this right?? and he said yes, so unless we both can?t read - Reebok made over a million dollars on all my merch, and I got like $3,000. I?m like, what the f*ck? It?s ridiculous. I thought I got 15%. And they?re like ?Well, you get 15% of this, but of this, and then these guys get it, and then you get 15% of that.? I?m like holy sh*t, you guys are f*cking me. Then, they make all these sweet shirts on Reebok and I?m like, damn. I tell people, ?Don?t buy that!??
A lot of fighters have complained about the Reebok deal over the years, as many fighters lost their private sponsorship deals due to Reebok.
The UFC star says talks with a management agency has begun, which would help him with merchandising and sponsorship deals.
?I?m actually talking to a huge, a really, really, really big agency about managing me, but not for fights,? O?Malley said. ?Just for all that stuff. So hopefully that will get a figured out and then merch will come with that. I want to do it right.?
Things could be turning around soon as far as Reebok goes, as the UFC is reportedly negotiating with new apparel companies to work with after the Reebok deal is completed.