MacDonald (photo) left the UFC and signed with Bellator. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
After leaving the UFC and signing a contract with Bellator, the welterweight Rory McDonald expressed his dissatisfaction with his former organization's sponsorship deal with sporting goods supplier Reebok. For him, the decision did not represent a respectful measure towards the fighters.
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Since July 2015, all fighters under contract with the UFC have been required to wear Reebok uniforms during official event activities. This generated great controversy, as many athletes lost private sponsorship deals. Furthermore, the amount of money from the agreement with Reebok sent to the fighters was considered small by several people.
In an interview with the podcast “The MMA Hour”, MacDonald stated that the UFC made a mistake in the episode. “I think the UFC handled this the wrong way. They didn't think about the fighters, no matter how much they try to make it seem like they did. There wasn't an argument. It was like 'this is happening and deal with it'. And that’s not very respectful,” he commented.
However, the Canadian clarified that this did not play a major role in his departure from the organization. “I didn't like it, but, in the end, I don't think that was the biggest influence on my decision. It was more about numbers and the respect I get on a daily basis, the opportunities that Bellator wants to give me,” he commented. “The UFC did a lot for me, and I'm not going to be one of those guys who talks shit about them. They did a lot for my career, and without them, I wouldn’t be in a position to bargain,” he concluded.
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