"100 million" - Dana White explains why Trevor Wittman's glove deal with the UFC didn't materialize

Dana White has provided fight fans with an insight into why the oft-discussed potential MMA glove-related business deal between the UFC and Trevor Wittman hasn't come to fruition. 

White appeared to suggest that the financial demand from Wittman's side was the primary reason behind the deal not working out. 

Dana White, Joe Rogan, and other MMA personalities have acknowledged Trevor Wittman's unique MMA glove design

Trevor Wittman is beheld as one of the most revered and skilled coaches in the sport of MMA and the combat sports realm overall.

He's mentored the likes of ex-UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, former UFC women's strawweight champ Rose Namajunas, and reigning UFC lightweight kingpin Justin Gaethje. 

Additionally, Wittman has earned widespread laudation for having designed his custom MMA gloves, which are specially crafted to minimize the possibility of eye pokes.

Veteran UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, UFC boss Dana White, and many other prominent mixed martial arts personalities and athletes have acknowledged Wittman's glove design over the years. 

Dana White outlines why a glove deal between Trevor Wittman and the UFC hasn't worked out

Trevor Wittman's star student Justin Gaethje is coming off one of the biggest wins of his professional MMA career. Gaethje stopped the then-undefeated Ilia Topuria via fourth-round TKO to win the undisputed UFC lightweight belt in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House last Sunday. 

Wittman and Gaethje subsequently appeared on episode No. 181 of the JRE MMA Show, on the Joe Rogan Experience, hosted by UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

The founder of ONX Sports, Wittman, asserted that UFC CBO (Chief Business Officer) Hunter Campbell recently approached him to discuss possibly bringing his ONX gloves to the UFC, so that the fighters could utilize them in MMA bouts conducted under the UFC promotional banner. 

Well, during the UFC Vegas 119 post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked about Wittman's aforementioned assertion on the JRE podcast. White responded by claiming that former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and Wittman had spoken to him regarding the potential Wittman-UFC glove deal. 

"We've been talking to Trevor for years," White said. He added, "Rashad Evans, whom I love and respect, came to me and said, 'Hey, listen. I'm invested in this thing... We think that we have a great product here. And I would love to introduce our glove to the -- that Trevor built.'" 

White continued, "All those guys are like, 'Oh, Trevor's a genius. He makes these bags, these gloves.'" 

The American combat sports promoter recounted that he told his finance team to finalize a deal with Wittman, irrespective of what it costs, to bring his customized gloves into use for the MMA bouts in the UFC. 

The amount that was supposedly requested, however, was too steep according to White. He said, "They wanted like a 100 million dollars for the glove. You know how many f**king gloves you gotta sell to make a 100 million dollars? It's impossible. So, the deal never happened." 

Furthermore, White suggested that the deal ought to have been finalized years ago and that he also wanted to do it for his longtime friend Rashad Evans. The UFC head honcho noted, "We'll see." Nevertheless, he indicated that it's unlikely to materialize anytime soon. 

 

Watch Dana White discuss the Trevor Wittman-UFC glove deal below (*comments at the 25:44-minute mark of the video):