TapouT Named Official Apparel Sponsor for Season Seven of Spike TV's Hit Series, 'The Ultimate Fighter'
NEW YORK, March 14 -- The cutting-edge clothing line,
TapouT, has officially been named the first-ever exclusive apparel sponsor
for "The Ultimate Fighter," Spike TV's longest running and most successful
original series. The first six seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike
TV were seen by 101.1 million viewers (36% of the U.S. population).*
TapouT will receive exclusive apparel integration throughout all 12
episodes of season seven, which premieres on Wednesday, April 2 at 10:00 pm
ET/PT. The deal also includes signage in the ring and on the walls in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship Training Center, where much of the show is
taped. TapouT commercials will also run throughout the season of the "The
Ultimate Fighter" and in 13 episodes of "UFC Unleashed," a highly-rated
weekly series featuring the most thrilling matches in UFC history.
Founder and creator of TapouT, Mask stated, "Hey, we're just an
extension of MMA. Hopefully TapouT adds a little fun, hope and excitement.
Spike TV and "The Ultimate Fighter" have done so much for the sport that
it's an honor to be involved."
Season seven of "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature current UFC light-
heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "The Ultimate Fighter"
season one victor and light-heavyweight contender, Forrest Griffin as
coaches. During the six-week taping of "The Ultimate Fighter," the sixteen
men endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing
and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters continues after
they leave the gym and head for the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors
live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each
other in the famed UFC Octagon(TM).
TapouT is the brainchild of the Crew's leader, Mask. This
decade-old-yet- fresh company operates independently without concern for
competition, because they've been at the forefront of Mixed Martial Arts
since the very beginning, and boast support from several MMA superstars.
TapouT is present at the most extreme events, supporting their fighters
and offering everything from their line that reflects the Crew's iconic
status: the hottest, edgiest apparel for guys and girls, an exclusive
magazine covering all that is MMA, a cable reality TV series gearing up for
a second season and even their own flask-shaped bottled water. Their
distinctive logo graces everything from hats, tees and car windows to their
special limited edition 2007 Toyota Tundra TapouT truck. The TapouT logo
has become so noteworthy that its most devoted fans are tattooing it on
their bodies, demonstrating the ultimate in commitment.
Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III,
Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are
executive producers of "The Ultimate Fighter." Brian J. Diamond, senior
vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and
Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.
Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV
Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the
world's leading creators of programming and content across all media
platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is http://www.spike.com.
*Source: Npower; The Ultimate Fighter; all telecasts; 1/17/05-1/08/07;
P2+/M18-34 cume; 1 minute qualifier
SOURCE Spike TV
http://www.spike.com
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