Urban Apparel Magazine

There has been a long standing battle in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fashion between two industry heavyweights; TapouT and Affliction. Forgive me for putting both names in the same sentence since the bitter rival between the two brands have caused enough heated discussion alone to garner its own pay-per-view event between friends and athletes choosing sides, but at this year’s MAGIC Marketplace Conference all was settled. TapouT’s presence at MAGIC, the fashion conference that brings together anybody who is anybody in the fashion world, to the city where anybody can be somebody – Las Vegas – made everyone at the Mandalay Bay know that TapouT is the undisputed king of MMA apparel. And if you didn’t know who TapouT is (and have been living in a rock for over a decade), check out the flags that stand high above the Las Vegas strip. Right next to one another, in equal size, you have the US flag, the Nevada state flag and the TapouT flag. That right there ends the debate. Very bluntly, TapouT owns Vegas. And as the biggest fight city in the world, that means you run the entire show.

I asked one of TapoutT’s founders, Skyscrape if he ever thought TapouT and the sport of MMA would be as big as it is today when they first started out and he says, “I always tell people, 100% yes! We wouldn’t have done it if we thought otherwise.” Skyscrape, along with fellow founder Punkass and passed founder Mask, started TapouT by selling shirts out the back of their cars and running town to town to promote their brand when the sport itself wasn’t even a blip in the local sport’s page, let along selling out the arenas. Even when everyone told them the sport would never catch on, the TapouT crew kept at it and boy has it paid off. Today, TapouT, is not only a nine figure brand but is the main clothing sponsor for the UFC – the leader in MMA. Fellow MMA star and TapouT sponsor, Donald “Cowboy”  Cerrone (11-2-0) says, “When you think of MMA you think of TapouT. They go together.” And I agree. Where as other brands may use MMA as a launching pad or a place to dip their toe into, TapouT does nothing else but MMA. TapouT is MMA and their clothes show their passion as well as devotion to the sport.

I was lucky enough to see the latest TapouT designs that will be hitting shelves as well as online stores soon and I was not disappointed. If anything, I was overwhelmed. Now, I like to consider myself well versed in the brand and of the sport but when I saw the was TapouT has planned, I was blown away with the wide variety of apparel they are launching.

TapouT’s Russell Stone, Vice President, New Media, E-Commerce showed us around and immediately I began to see that the immense variety of TapouT’s apparel reflects the dynamic line up of fighters TapouT represents. Some of the world’s premier fighters like Amir Sadollah, Kendall Grove, Kimbo Slice, Keith Jardine, Dan Hardy (who will be fighting George St. Pierre next month for the title) and even MMA newcomer (and some might call a rookie standout) Hershel Walker all wear TapouT proudly. The connection between TapouT as a brand and TapouT’s fighters is a symbol of their unique style. Each of these fighters has a different technique that has made them successful in the ring and TapouT has their own unique style that has made them stand alone among the MMA elite.

Even if those of you reading this don’t enjoy the sport of MMA (give it one minute of your time and you’ll be hooked), you have appreciate the fight that TapouT has. They are a brand that was built from passion, drive and the pursuit of bringing what they love to the masses. TapouT is about about as “Americana-success” as it gets and they’ve earned the right to wave that flag high for the world to see. That my friends is something I can stand behind.

For more information on TapouT go to : www.tapout.com.