It seems that the UFC is upholding its recent tradition of crafting bespoke fight kits for its marquee stars, with reigning welterweight champion Leon Edwards being the next to benefit from this stylish custom. "Rocky" will now grace the Octagon in dazzling, one-of-a-kind shorts for his upcoming bout.
Back in 2014, the UFC inked an official apparel deal with Reebok, designating them as the exclusive provider of fight gear. Prior to this deal, fighters enjoyed the freedom to wear their choice of attire.
However, for the past decade, the UFC, along with Reebok, controlled the design of fight shorts. In 2021, the apparel contract was handed over to Venum, marking the beginning of a new chapter in UFC fight gear.
In 2020, featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell made history by debuting a custom Reebok camouflage short. Fast forward four years, and a torrent of creativity has surged into the Octagon. Venum has since designed tailor-made shorts for six additional fighters, all showcased in high-stakes title bouts at UFC 299, UFC 300, and UFC 302.
Edwards, Pimblett To Potentially Sport Custom Shorts At UFC 304
Edwards is gearing up to defend his title before his fervent home supporters against former rival Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304. The highly anticipated rematch is set to take place at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on July 27.
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According to a recent tweet from MMA journalist Christopher De Santiago, "Rocky" is set to don custom-made gear for his third title defense. The post included several images, seemingly sourced from the Venum website and the EA Sports UFC 5 video game, highlighting green shorts embellished with the Jamaican and British national flags alongside royal crowns.
This unique design pays homage to Edwards' rich heritage, celebrating his deep-rooted connections to both nations.
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Fellow UFC 304 main carder Paddy Pimblett is also receiving custom shorts at the event, De Santiago confirmed.
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Edwards and Muhammad first faced off at a UFC Fight Night event in March 2021. However, an unforeseen eye poke in the second round rendered "Remember the Name" unable to continue, resulting in a no-contest.
Edwards is riding high on a 13-fight unbeaten streak, capped by a dominant unanimous decision victory over Colby Covington at UFC 296 last December. He claimed the welterweight title with a spectacular fifth-round knockout of then-champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 in August 2022.
The Jamaican-born Englishman has also previously secured victories over high-profile opponents such as Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos, and Vicente Luque.