The MMA sponsorship landscape has changed over the past few years. Even more-so since the largest promotion, UFC, partnered up with Reebok to only allow that companies logo inside the Octagon.
A company that has set themselves apart from the rest is not your average one by any means. Unique Kennels has become a household name, not because of their big logo all over fighters, but because of their presence in social media amongst their sponsored talent and because they aren’t your general clothing company that wants to stake claim on fighters.
Unique Kennels has been breeding bulldogs for thirty years and sponsoring fighters since 2011. They have been seen on fighters in some of the top promotions in the world.
Owner James Skipper gave us some insight on how things got started with his company and the mixed martial arts scene, as well as some of the stuff that has come up along the way.
On how and when the collaboration with MMA fighters and organizations happened…
I’ve been a fan of the sport for years. I go back to Pride, right before it went under and was a huge Strikeforce fan. In early 2010, we had our first local MMA event here in Myrtle Beach and seeing it live made me love it even more. I sponsored my first fighter — Marvin Skipper, no relation, on a local Warfare MMA card here in Myrtle Beach South Carolina on 05/21/2011. One fighter lead to two and so on. I’ve had as many as seven on one card. I eventually sponsored our local promotion here and have also sponsored Fightlab out of North Carolina and NFC in Georgia. The NFC fight night that Dana White attended for his “Looking for a Fighter” show was one of their events that I sponsored, so that was a real treat, especially seeing how I also am a long time sponsor of the fighter they came to see.
I really didn’t expect this to be anything more than just helping out local fighters and promotions. I felt it was just a way for me to be involved more than just being a fan. It was, until I was able to trade a dog for a two-fight deal with Joe Pacheco, a Bellator fighter and Justin Scoggins, a now UFC fighter. The deal with Justin came about a month before he got the UFC offer. Justin’s first UFC fight was the U.K. logo’s first appearance in the Octagon on 12/07 /11. Since then I have been lucky enough to be involved with some of the biggest names in the sport, as well as some young fighters with really bright futures ahead.
On the Reebok sponsorship deal…
The Reebok deal, I don’t like it for the young fighters — I think it hurts their chances of making money. But from a sponsor stand point it doesn’t hurt. Putting your logo on a fighter does nothing to promote your company. It is more about, hey look what I did. The importance of being involved with a fighter is their social media reach and how they use it. The Reebok deal could be a good thing for me because I have several UFC fighters interested in pups in trade for a long term promotion of the kennel through their social media. I enter every sponsor deal with the hope that it ends with the fighter getting a dog. To date we have pups with three UFC fighters, two with Bellator, one with M1 global and one regional fighter.
On what sets Unique Kennels apart from other sponsors…
I can’t or won’t say that being sponsored by U.K. is any better than any other sponsor — money is money. I will say that I try to go above and beyond when needed and my local guys know that fight or no fight if they need money for an unexpected bill, car problems or anything else that I am more than willing to help. I also try to maintain a relationship with a fighter once started. I know it is easier on the fighter to concentrate on training when they know they don’t have to worry about where their money is coming from.
On what’s shocked him most about fighters…
I know this is gonna sound corny, but the biggest shocker is how approachable the fighters I’ve met are. My first big name encounter was at ATT in Coconut Creek where I met Thiago Alves when I took him a pup. Thiago wasn’t there when I first showed up so Mirsad “The Bosnia Bulldog” Bektic gave me a tour of the facility, introduced me to some of the fighters and kept me entertained until Thiago got there. Thiago talked with me like we were old friends and was very thankful for the pup. When I took Kendall Grove his pup I met Michael Bisping after talking for a few minutes he asked if I was hungry to which I replied, I could eat and with that we went to a cafe and he bought myself, Kendall’s manager and one of his coaches lunch and we talked and got to know each other. I spoke with Brendon Schaub about this at a local fight last weekend and he chalked it up to the fact that fighting is one of the hardest thing one can choose to do so why make the rest of your life any harder then it has to be .
On fighters being dog lovers and owners…
It never mattered if they didn’t get a dog, but it definitely is a bonus for me if they do. The logo and social media love is nice but nothing beats the attention that can come from a fighter owning one of my pups. Plus it is a much more personal relationship if they have a dog, then just that of a sponsor/fighter relationship. I have a good connection with several of the fighters I’ve sponsored on social media, but I have a better relationship with the ones that have pups and even some of the ones I’ve talked dogs with where I sponsored them or not.
On the next step for Unique Kennels within the MMA scene…
Keep up with everything Unique Kennels by ‘liking’ their Facebook page HERE and following their Twitter page HERE.
