Zuffa bans controversial clothing brand Hoelzer Reich from future UFC, WEC events
by John Morgan on Dec 08, 2009 at 7:45 pm ET
California-based Hoelzer Reich apparel company has been banned from sponsoring fighters at future UFC and WEC events.
WEC general manager Reed Harris expressed his personal concerns regarding the company's "German-themed" apparel on today's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (
www.mmajunkie.com/radio), and the exec told Yahoo! Sports shortly after the interview that Zuffa, LLC, will no longer allow its athletes to wear Hoelzer Reich apparel into the cage at UFC or WEC events.
MMAjunkie.com has since confirmed the report with a representative from Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of both MMA promotions.
Hoelzer Reich has come under fire for its use of symbolism associated with Nazism, including the Iron Cross, logos closely resembling those such as the "SS" used by the Schutzstaffel, the Totenkopf skull, and other mottos and symbols commonly associated with Nazi Germany.
The controversy surrounding the brand grew over the weekend when UFC newcomer Joe Brammer wore a Hoelzer Reich shirt to the cage for his preliminary card bout with Mark Bocek at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale. Brammer's entrance was shown during the Spike TV-broadcast event, and concern from outraged and concerned observers spread throughout the mixed martial arts community.
Harris today admitted he wasn't 100 percent familiar with the brand, but he didn't envision the organization supporting a group that portrayed any sort of racist message.
"I'll tell you my personal opinion: I'm against any group that obviously portrays the white, Aryan stuff, or any of that stuff," Harris told MMAjunkie.com Radio. "I don't know if that necessarily involves [Hoelzer Reich]. I've been told that it may. If it does, I'm not going to support it. That's my own opinion.
"If you look at our fighters, we are a diverse group. If you go to our office and look at who works there – I've worked for a lot of companies – it's the most diverse group of people I've ever worked with, and it's wonderful. I'm not sure how [Hoelzer Reich sponsorships] are all going to play out, but I've started to kind of look into it myself. I'm not sure if it's something that's going to work in the WEC."
In a statement on the company's official website, Hoelzer Reich co-owners Jed Colvin and Jamie Vine emphatically deny that their designs are developed based on anything other than their "love for apparel and design and desire to create a bad ass line of apparel that represents our family heritage and interest in MMA."
"We do not have any political affiliations with any organizations, nor specific views of any controversial parties," the statement reads. "Our interest in the Iron Cross and German history comes strictly from a historical and ancestral standpoint.
"For many years, we have collected German memorabilia dating back to the early 1800's which has been passed through the family for generations.The Iron cross symbol and other German-inspired imagery used on our apparel dates back hundreds of years, and does not depict a certain time of German History."
Hoelzer Reich's official website currently advertises its associations with WEC fighters Donald Cerrone and James Krause, but Harris told Yahoo! Sports that "Cowboy" had severed ties with the company "months ago."
Harris said the decision to completely eliminate the brand from the WEC, UFC, or both would have to come from the highest reaches of the organization.
"At the end of the day, (UFC president) Dana White and (UFC co-owner) Lorenzo (Fertitta) make those decisions," Harris said. "But I certainly have input, and I think they would probably make that same decision."
For now, at least, it appears they have.
