[ad_1]
Kiwi City Kickboxing Success Story is committed to sticking with its plan for its fighters to use the silver fern, despite the UFC telling it there are trademark concerns about the version it has chosen.
Eugene Bareman, co-founder and head coach of the famous Auckland City Kickboxing gym, revealed at a press conference Thursday that the UFC would not wear the silver fern logo on their uniforms after being contacted by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) about the branding registered. worries.
But NZR has said it has not been involved in any discussion.
Alan Lee / PHOTOSPORT
City Kickboxing coach Eugene Bareman, left, says his fighters, like Israel Adesanya, right, have just as much right to wear the silver fern as former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.
As the home of middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and the rest of the New Zealand contingent of UFC, City Kickboxing has established itself as one of the leading combat sports gyms in the world.
READ MORE:
* Joseph Parker looks at the first KOs when Kevin Barry questions Junior Fa’s ability to handle bright lights
* Joseph Parker’s coach Kevin Barry responds to the wild accusations from Junior Fa’s camp.
* Winners Revealed at Stuff’s 2020 Substitute Sports Awards
* The Halberg Awards That Weren’t: Finalists Found As Stuff Celebrates 2020 Winners
Bareman passionately defended their right to use the logo and emphasized that they would not back down without a fight.
Cameron Spencer / Getty Images
The silver fern is a recognized symbol for the All Blacks, but City Kickboxing says its fighters representing New Zealand should be able to use it too.
“The UFC prevents us from using the silver fern because the All Blacks (NZR) contacted them and asked them not to use it because it had a trademark,” Bareman said, as Adesanya showed photos of the iconic All Black Richie McCaw wearing the fern. silver followed by photos of his fighters beaten and bruised after a fight.
“Everyone who represents our country internationally earns the right, especially my boys, and I’m obviously biased, to represent their country and wear that symbol.
“We wear it on our uniform, we wear it with great pride, and it doesn’t matter if you were born in Nigeria or Samoa, it doesn’t matter where you come from. It is very important for us. It is something that we represent.
“The UFC calls me and says the All Blacks are effectively trying to stop us from wearing that symbol.”
fake images
City Kickboxing fighter Dan Hooker and his teammates are proud to represent New Zealand in the UFC.
But in a statement to Things, NZR said it had not had any communication with the UFC about the use of its logo.
He said he supports all athletes representing New Zealand, “but protects our commercial intellectual property, including the specifically designed NZR fern.”
Things understands that the UFC supports City Kickboxing’s desire to use the silver fern and is working to resolve the issue after it contacted its legal department about trademark concerns.
Bareman hopes the issue is nothing more than a “technicality” but insisted that “no one owns that symbol.” He added that there was no way his fighters would walk into the Octagon without the silver fern logo on the shoulder of their fighting gear.
Time is not on his side, with Adesanya attempting to add the light heavyweight title to his middleweight crown against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 next Sunday (New Zealand time). City Kickboxing teammates Carlos Ulberg and Kai Kara-France are also on the card, while Brad Riddell and Shane Young are scheduled to compete in late March.
Adesanya said the NZR’s alleged actions felt “insignificant” and pointed to his famous acceptance speech at last year’s Halberg Awards when he mentioned New Zealand’s tall poppy syndrome.
“It seems so petty. Just go back to the speech I had at the Halbergs, listen to it again if it didn’t sink the first time, ”said the 2019 New Zealand Athlete of the Year.
Things
Richie McCaw wearing an All Blacks jersey in Hong Kong.
“We are not making money with having the fern in our logo, it does not generate money for me. But the problem behind it is what we fight for.
“I hope the guys on the field, the guys on the front line support us on this too, rather than just the suits trying to do their little thing.”
As fellow athletes representing the country on the world stage, Bareman felt that NZR should be more supportive, but he also called on the UFC, the world’s leading MMA promotion, not to tip over.
“I understand [the All Blacks are] a multi-million dollar business, we too are in a multi-million dollar business. But we both represent the country, we should support each other.
“The UFC should also back us. Don’t just fold and say we’ll change the symbol.
“The UFC needs to fight for us and I made it as clear as possible that you don’t need to turn around. We’re not just going to change the symbol because the All Blacks contacted us and said that your silver fern looks too much like our silver fern.
“It is not even in our nature to do that. We are fighters and we will fight for our right that we believe we have earned to wear the silver fern with pride ”.
