Ultimate fighters might not wear much in the Octagon, but Reebok is hoping to capitalize on the growing popularity of the sport by partnering with the UFC.
The footwear and apparel company announced on Tuesday it has entered an exclusive, six-year contract to provide Ultimate Fighting Championship sportswear to fighters.
One segment that Reebok hopes to capture? Women.
"Women are really the ones who are taking this discipline of training like a fighter—whether its boxing or mixed martial arts—and they're using that as their way to stay fit," said Matt O'Toole, Reebok's president, in an interview on "Squawk on the Street."
The deal comes as the sport's demographic expands beyond 18-to-34-year-old males to include females, said UFC President Dana White. He pointed to the rise of Ronda Rousey, UFC's first and current women's bantamweight champion, as a game-changer.
"She's changing the way that women look at themselves and think about themselves," he said.
The companies did not disclose the terms of the deal, but UFC said it was the organization's biggest partnership, excluding broadcasting deals.
Reebok has recently focused on forging partnerships with non-traditional slices of the athletic world, including CrossFit, the Spartan Race, and choreographed exercise company Les Mills.
Correction: An earlier version gave the incorrect title for Matt O'Toole.