UFC: Matt Wiman Compares 'Sleazy' Sponsorship Managers to Drug Dealers

Let it be known that any potential sponsors wishing to discuss business with UFC fighter Matt Wiman had better come prepared to be up-front and honest.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour on Monday, Wiman explained the lack of sponsors for his UFC Fight Night 57 showdown with Isaac Vallie-Flagg:

"

I think if it was a good opportunity, I'm not opposed to it...I compare it to this, it's going to be kind of a crude analogy, but I've heard and I was never a pot head or anything like that. But, I've heard that the worst part about taking drugs was dealing with drug dealers. I think that the worst part about sponsors is the people around them; sleazy wannabe managers.

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It was odd to see Wiman wearing a plain pair of UFC-brand shorts without any sponsor labels. He may not be a household name, but he is a former competitor on The Ultimate Fighter and was fighting on the main card of a Fox Sports 1 card.

Wiman’s comments resemble those made by Mac Danzig, as The Ultimate Fighter winner decided to forgo dealing with sponsors for his UFC on Fox 9 clash against Joe Lauzon.

Considering how much of a hot-button issue fighter pay has become these days, along with comments about the importance of sponsors by former UFC competitor Nate Quarry, it’s pretty telling that guys like Wiman and Danzig would opt against sponsorship income for the convenience of not having to deal with the hassle.

Wiman was making his return to the Octagon after almost two years on the sidelines. He had last competed in January 2013 in a TKO loss to T.J. Grant. Wiman also wore plain, sponsor-less UFC-brand shorts for that bout as well.

He and Vallie-Flagg put on an entertaining performance to kick off the main card of UFC Fight Night 57. Wiman picked up the unanimous-decision victory due to his superior grappling.