Jacob "Stitch" Duran spoke out about the UFC's exclusive sponsorship deal with Reebok recently, and the promotion swiftly cut all ties with the long-time MMA cutman.
Forced to abandon his own sponsorship deals once the Reebok pact officially kicked off in July, Duran had hoped for the cutmen to get a a little piece of the pie, a reasonable request considering he, like the fighters, would be forced to wear Reebok gear cageside.
The UFC balked at Duran's proposal.
"It got to the point where I was trying to speak up for the cutmen, and being the leader and bringing this up and talking to the guys at the UFC, we had no clout whatsoever; we weren't even in the equation of getting sponsorships, and I personally depend a lot on my sponsors to make it work (financially)," Duran told MMAjunkie Radio. "So, of all the cutmen, I would have lost more financially.
"But speaking up for the cutmen, I tried to talk to the UFC, and they basically had told us there's no more money in the kitty."
A staple of UFC programming for more than a decade, the fantastically mustachioed Duran found a legion of supporters on social media. A growing army that includes fighters, fans, and members of the media.
Support for Duran proved so fervent that Reebok released the following tweet disavowing their involvement in the decision to oust the world's most famous cutman:
UFC fans: We have no input on decisions of UFC employment or fighter compensation. Our focus is providing the best gear for fighters & fans.
— Reebok (@Reebok) July 22, 2015
"I didn't say anything wrong," Duran said. "I stated my opinion, and we as cutmen should be compensated for wearing Reebok. How can you wear Reebok and not get paid? To me, that's just not right, plain and simple.
"But I think the reaction that the fans have done and coming out and creating a firestorm, I don't think the UFC was equipped to handle that. And I'm the fall guy, man. (I'm) taking a bullet for the team, brother."
