Two of sports entertainment’s biggest powerhouses have reconnected, with the UFC and Dwayne Johnson linking up for a new global footwear partnership deal.
The UFC has announced that Johnson’s motivational performance brand, “Project Rock” is now named the official footwear partner of the UFC in a multi-year deal.
A UFC press release explained the nature of the deal.
Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, all UFC athletes and their corner teams will be outfitted with Project Rock footwear as part of their UFC Fight Kits for use during official UFC Fight Week activities, including open workouts, ceremonial and official weigh-ins, and for use on Fight Night in the locker rooms and during their must-see walkouts to the world-famous octagon.
Initial footwear provided to the athletes will include Project Rock BSR training shoes and Project Rock sliders. Starting in summer 2022, UFC athletes will be outfitted with a special edition colorway of Project Rock x UFC co-branded BSR 2 training shoes.
The partnership kicked off at UFC 270, with Johnson hailing the UFC following the announcement of the deal.
“UFC athletes are amongst the greatest, toughest, focused, most disciplined and hardest training athletes on the planet,” he said.
“Every walk to the iconic octagon by a UFC fighter is fueled with passion, mana and the deep desire to establish their dominance and LEGACY.
“I am proud, grateful and humbled that my innovative Project Rock training shoe is now the official global footwear partner of UFC.
“Being ‘the hardest worker in the room’ isn’t just a catchy slogan. It’s my life. But it’s not just my life. It’s the life and soul of every man and woman that competes in UFC. THEY are the hardest workers in the room. THEY are the ones who walk the walk. THEY are champions.
“Project Rock looks forward to the endless possibilities within this historic global partnership with UFC and all the hardest workers in the room.”
Posting to his Instagram page after the announcement, Johnson went on to reveal that he considered the possibility of transitioning into MMA during his wrestling career, but admitted he quickly revised that plan.
“It’s been fun for journalists to dream up the scenarios if I had competed in @UFC instead of a career in @WWE,” he wrote.
“There was a point in 1997 when I seriously considered going to Japan to train as an MMA fighter and compete (in PRIDE) when my wrestling career was FAILING MISERABLY as “Rocky Maivia.”
“But I realized very quickly, how much I actually hate being punched in the kisser.”