Dana White, Brendan Schaub butt heads over Reebok deal

There has been plenty of reaction to the UFC’s apparel sponsorship with Reebok and most of it hasn't been positive.

The deal, which pays fighters anywhere from $2,500-$40,000 depending on championship status and tenure, will see Reebok serve as the official uniform for athletes competing inside the Octagon. Along with it, fighters won't be able to wear previously acquired sponsor logos in the cage.

Fans, fighters and pundits have all criticized the UFC and Reebok for what many perceive as just another way for the companies to make money – while the athletes get the raw end of the deal.

The UFC says otherwise. They say the rumored $70-plus million dollars that Reebok is giving them will go straight to the fighters. In the process, the UFC gets a sleek, clean uniform that falls in line with most leagues in professional sports.

Heavyweight Brendan Schaub took to Twitter to voice his displeasure while addressing a fan that asked about the Reebok deal.

UFC President Dana White went on TSN’s “Off the Record” on Friday and responded directly to Brendan Schaub and his claims of a six-figure sponsor payday.

“I’m sure this guy is making $100,000 a fight,” White said, not masking his sarcasm. White then rattled off a list of fringe sponsors that recently sponsored Schaub: KeepItPlayful.com, Box’n Burn Gym, Alchemist Management and NOHO Hangover.

White continued on about the deal and quickly shot down any talk about the partnership being anything other than a great opportunity for everyone involved, "No, I don't think we're screwing our athletes on the Reebok deal," he said. "Any time we make any type of change here, people go crazy in this sport.

“I just don't know how the deal could be any better. Could there be a lot more money? Of course there could; everybody wants more money. That's never going to change no matter what. If this deal with Reebok was $200 million it wouldn't be enough money."

UFC announcer Joe Rogan is mutual friends with both Schaub and White. On Saturday, Schaub appeared on Rogan’s podcast to address White’s comments on Off the Record. Schaub began by admitting that the whole situation has been weighing heavily on his shoulders, “It’s actually been keeping me up [at night],” admitted Schaub.

“I’m not lying. But It does nothing for me to prove this, because first thing’s first: I’m Team UFC, man. I wouldn’t have this platform and I wouldn’t have this fame and I wouldn’t be making the money I am now if it wasn’t for Dana White and the UFC. So I’m not anti-UFC in the least bit.”

Schaub continued, and began recalling a story he had with his father. Schaub said that he relies on family and friends when challenges present themselves and the issue with White has him vexed. His dad posed the question: What if the deal is for the greater good? What if other fighters, who perhaps in prior years were less fortunate, were able to make more due to the new deal?

It was that frame of reference that put everything into perspective for Schaub.

“I don’t know the overall plan of this Reebok deal. So, if it helps the majority of fighters, I’m on board, man.”

No matter your opinion on the UFC/Reebok marriage – and there have been plenty – the sponsorship deal does not officially begin until UFC 189 on July 11. So, until the paychecks start rolling in and a decent sample size can be evaluated, emotions will continue to run high, and questions will remain. As for Schaub and his contemporaries, let’s hope his dad was right.

(Warning: Strong language used in video below)