The history of affliction

In the early days of MMA, a small clothing company in Signal Hill, California, became a big name in the hardcore fashion genre. By sponsoring big names in the UFC, such as Georges St. Pierre, Randy Couture and Quinton Jackson, as well as great hitters from other hardcore arenas, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Zab Judah, Affliction was able to show that to emulate your MMA or heavyweight boxing idols, you had to wear the same clothes they wore. Affliction became the leader in the field of “Wear Your Attitude” fashion.

Created in 2005 by Tom Atencio, Todd Beard, Eric Foss and Clifton Chason, the brand was conceived by fighters for fighters, which helped lead to the success of Affliction, and some of the subsidiary companies that would develop through the business model. Affliction. had created. Sinful, an Affliction clothing line for women is characterized by religious expressions, such as angels or angel wings, or other symbolic images: doves, burning hearts, roses and skulls are also commonly found in Sinful outfits. Xtreme Couture, a division of Affliction developed by Randy Couture and his wife Kim Couture in 2007, carries UFC clothing, as well as fitness supplements and MMA training facilities.

It wouldn’t be MMA without drama, and the Affliction brand has had its share. In late 2008, co-owner Todd Beard chose to resign after receiving a restraining order from Randy Couture’s wife. The restraining order became necessary after Beard carried out a “campaign of terror” against the Coutures because they asked him to provide a detailed accounting of the earnings. On the Canadian front, nightclubs in Vancouver and Victoria, BC, as well as the notorious Cowboy’s nightclub in Calgary, decided to ban patrons wearing Affliction or Ed Hardy clothing from entering the facility, claiming the clothing was a uniform. gang related. Affliction responded by stating that it has no gang affiliation and that the clothing is simply a “luxury men’s boutique brand.”

After a few years of sponsoring UFC fighters, the Affliction team had a difference of opinion on business practices with UFC management. Affliction decided to become MMA promoters and formed Affliction Entertainment, which cost them a lucrative spot in the UFC ring. After two successful co-promoted events in 2008 and 2009, Affliction was hit with a curve ball less than 60 hours before his next event. It was rumored that one of the fighters in the main event had positively tested steroids and would not be allowed to fight in the event. In what was likely a humbling experience, the Affliction team decided to accept the UFC’s previous offer of ad space in the Octagon and the UFC fighters, provided they stopped all fight promotion operations.

UFC President Dana White said in a statement: “We are excited about Affliction’s return to the UFC and look forward to seeing our fighters once again enter the Octagon with Affliction brands. Affliction is an innovator in the fashion mix. with this sport, and we look forward to working together to promote the sport. “

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