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The UFC has initiated a significant gear overhaul, unveiling new gloves designed to enhance fighter safety while maintaining performance standards. The announcement was made during an official presentation held on Friday in Las Vegas, marking a pivotal moment for the promotion and its athletes.
The primary objective behind the introduction of the new gloves is to minimize hand injuries and eye pokes, without compromising on fighters' dexterity or impacting match outcomes. These innovative gloves are slated to make their debut in competition at UFC 302, scheduled for June 1 in Newark, N.J.
In a bid to cater to various UFC events, the gloves will be available in different colors, including gunmetal for non-title bouts, blue for Dana White's Contender Series, and red for UFC-affiliated developmental programming like "Road to UFC."
The unveiling ceremony featured a presentation led by UFC Vice President of Consumer Products Ember Morr, who highlighted the collaborative effort with sports equipment manufacturer VICIS RDI in designing the new gloves. VICIS Vice President of Product Development Jason Neubauer elaborated on the glove's innovative features, emphasizing the importance of impact mitigation and hand movement flexibility.
Neubauer explained,
"What we developed was a multi-layer slip-plane system that allowed us to continue to mitigate those impacts, but allow those slip layers to slide on each other in use without ever minimizing the actual offset between your hand and the outer edge of the glove."
Furthermore, modifications to the seams, padding, wristband, and finger holes have been implemented to further enhance fighter safety and reduce the risk of injury during competition.
The introduction of these new gloves underscores the UFC's ongoing commitment to prioritizing fighter welfare while striving for continuous improvement in the sport.