via i49.tinypic.com

According to MMA fighting and Bloody Elbow as well as other sources the undisputed Light Heavyweight champion of the world Jon "Bones" Jones just signed a multi-year deal with the world's most well known sports apparel brand Nike. This does not come as a surprise considering the year Jones just had but it is nevertheless very compelling. Jones will be featured in world wide advertising campaigns and could have his own line of gear and shoes; although Jones is not the first MMA fighter to sign with such a globally recognized brand he is arguably the first to have a sponsorship deal of this magnitude. This could mark the beginning of a new trend in MMA where the very best fighters and champions end up signing very lucrative deals with mainstream brands like Nike, Puma and Adidas with contracts not unlike those of NFL and NBA players. Needless to say that this will help in making MMA a more globally recognized sport. The importance of this deal could not be overstated. However in more important news it remains to be seen if other brands will rush to sign Matt "the hammer" Hammil (the only man to defeat Jones) to a similar deal as a way to counter Nike, nor do we know whether Ambien will sign Jon Fitch or Ben Askren in a similar fashion as a show of their appreciation, i guess as fans all we can do is wait and see.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/8/3228510/nike-signs-ufc-champion-jon-jones-to-global-sponsorship-deal