Mixed martial arts clothing
MMA clothing refers to the sportswear worn in mixed martial arts (MMA) competition and training, and branded fashion clothing related to the mixed martial arts scene. As MMA becomes a mature sport, brands dedicated to it have worked toward specializing clothing that improve an MMA athlete's training and competition.[1]
Overview
MMA gloves and MMA shorts (similar to the shorts worn in boxing and Muay Thai) are the only piece of clothing allowed to be worn during professional MMA competitions.[2] This type of clothing is often referred to as fightwear to differentiate it from MMA fashion clothing which includes t-shirts, hoodies, caps and hats.[3] However, Amateur MMA, regulated by FILA, requires head guards, knee pads and shin-instep.[4]
There are various types of MMA fightshorts, including board shorts, shorts which extend halfway down the thigh, shorts which extend only slightly down the thigh and gladiator shorts which feature slits in the sides of the legs. Common brands include Fifth Round Clothing, Bad Boy, Venum, TapouT, Sprawl, Silver Star, Hayabusa, TCB Fightwear, Jaco, POSS-MMA, Hitman Fight Gear, Dethrone Royalty and RYU.[3]
Several clothing brands have developed their own lines of MMA apparel including Affliction Clothing, No Fear, Ecko Unlimited and Emerson Brand Apparel.[5][6]
Mixed Martial Arts Shorts
The Unified Rules of MMA provide clear guidelines around the shorts used during professional and amateur MMA bouts. These rules have provided a benchmark for apparel companies to design and develop training and competition shorts for mixed martial arts and related sports. MMA shorts have now evolved from regular board shorts or biking shorts. They now much more specialized and provide several features to improve comfort, range of motion and flexibility, and additional characteristics that improve a fighter's ability during practice and competition.[7]
Mixed Martial Arts Shirts
Most MMA fighters used specialized compression shirts, called Rash guards, to train. Rash guards are not regular compression shirts. Ground training techniques have required that these shirts provide reinforced seams and stitching, with additional panels to support the additional stress placed on the shirt during training while continuing to provide the benefits provided by regular compression shirts.[8]
In addition to rash guards, several promotions like the UFC, regularly provide sponsors with the ability to advertise their brands using t-shirts during the weigh-in events and competition. These shirts have been title as "Walk-out" shirts by many, because they are used by a fighters while being presented for their fight as they walk towards the cage. These shirts are sold to the public as a means for the fans to support their favorite fighters.
Volume
The overall revenues of sales of MMA clothing come to hundreds of millions of dollars a year, with both TapouT and Affliction recording sales in excess of $100 million.[9]
References
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