As a partner in fight gear company I can tell you the three most common things I deal with on a daily basis besides trying to sell enough product to keep the company alive.

1. I spend a lot of time trying to get our gear in the public eye. Making friends, choosing events to attend, places to advertise, myspazzin (as ryanloco calls it) my ass off, and trying to get our product picked up by retailers.

2. I get alot of flack from old dawgs in MMA who think WALLOP is just another fight gear company trying to cash in on the recent sucess and popularity of MMA . No complaints. We gotta pay our dues. In time people will recognize our company as a grass roots supporter of this sport.

3. I get lots of requests from up and coming fighters for sponsorship. 

If there is one thing I know about this sport, it's that the majority of the guys in it are dedicated to their training, passionate about competing, and mostly broke as F%ck. (Wait that's three things... anyway) 

Fight Apparel companies aren't making big bucks off fighters. The money comes from the fans. For every pair of fight shorts we sell to a real fighter, we sell 50 shirts to people who will never step in the ring and probably don't even go to the gym regularly! That's just the way it is, and for that reason we love the fans of MMA, it keeps the business rolling.

So this brings me to YOU. The fighter. The guy who is about to go pro, or pro with only a few fights. You don't want to go it alone. You need shit to wear in the ring and train in. You need to be sponsored by a name bigger than your local hardware store, and you want exposure. When you start hitting up sponsors, there are a few things you can do to increase your odds.

 1. Get your info together. It's like your resume. If you are tracked on Sherdog or Full Contact Fighter, provide that info along with any pertinent info that establishes you as a viable competitor. Your team, your school, your style, your record, and your upcoming events are key info that a sponsor wants to know right off the bat.

2. Make connections. Whether it's this site or MySpace or your own website, make a place that you update regularly with pictures and info about what's going on with your profession. Add your prospective sponsor to your friends list, ask them for a banner to put on your site etc. Shmooz a little. Remember YOU are the vehicle to your sponsors success.

3. As a professional fighter, you are the promotional vehicle for your sponsor. I am 20 times as eager to send gear to the fighter who says "I will wear your shit in the ring and on the street!" If a fight gear company is willing to send you some shorts and a shirt. Tell them to send you two shirts so you can wear one to the party after the fight or in training or at the construction site where you work during the day. Ask them for a pile of stickers to handout, anything. Work your gear to fans and make it know to your sponsor that you are pushing their stuff. I guarantee this will get you to the next level with them (or it will get you picked up by a bigger sponsor with more money. Trust me it happens. I know.)

4. Represent. If you are on a microphone, say your sponsor's name and website as much as possible. Who doesn't remember Jardine after the fight saying "Sports Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, Sports Nutrition." Completely dissing the question Rogan had. That is money baby! Money for your sponsor means money for you.

5. Remember that the relationship with your sponsor grows. If you go in asking for cash, they are likely blow you off. Start small. Ask to sport their gear at an event. Get pictures if they are not at the event. If Zack Lynch from MMAPhotography.com is there, he'll probably be more than glad to help you out in that respect. (any good photographer should. Zack is just the fucking best.) Showing your sponsor proof that you rocked it, especially at an untelevised event is key.

Bottom line is this. If you're 18-0 and about to go on UFC 482, you don't have to worry about a sponsor. Sports Nutrition will be there. (SPORTS NUTRITION SPORTS NUTRITION SPORTS NUTRITION. Great stuff Sports Nutrition, I hope they read this and send me some! However if your an up and coming fighter, you may have to work it a little, so maybe you pick a smaller company like WALLOP Fight Gear and you rock a t-shirt into the ring like Chris "The Grinch" Reedy did last weekend. Your sponsor will want to continue the relationship and it will grow.

 Hope this helps. All the best everyone.

Tyrus Christiana
President

www.wallopfightgear.com