Champion teams up with UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall

U.S. sporting apparel brand Champion announced on Thursday a new partnership with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, with the pair collaborating on new apparel collection and accompanying campaign.

Dubbed “Heavyweight Champion”, the new collection is made up of performance-ready garments with contemporary lifestyle designs, fabricated in heavyweight fabrics and tonal palettes. Key pieces include a Reverse Weave hoodie and a monochrome bomber jacket stamped with “Heavyweight” across the back.

Each piece is also marked by a “00.02.02” timestamp —a nod to the average duration of Aspinall’s professional fights. 

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with Champion, a brand with global reach and deep roots in sport,” said Aspinall. “Champion’s values really reflect who I am and what I want to do in MMA. I’ve always said I believe I can transcend the sport into the mainstream. And we’re not just creating gear – we’re making apparel that works for fighters and inspires the next generation.

In addition to the lifestyle drop, a collaborative performance training apparel and equipment line between Authentic-owned Champion and Aspinall is also due to launch later this year. 

“We’re incredibly excited to announce our long-term partnership with Tom and Team Aspinall. Champion has a proud heritage that stretches back generations, and in Tom, we’ve found not only an elite athlete at the top of his game, but a truly exceptional human being.” said Lorenzo Moretti, Champion EMEA president.

“His values, professionalism, and ability to inspire those around him perfectly reflect what Champion stands for. We’ve been thoroughly impressed by Tom and his team from day one, and we look forward to working closely together to shape the future of combat product for Champion — developing next-generation training apparel and equipment informed by the insights of the best athletes in the sport.”

In December last year, parent Authentic announced a multi-year extension of its partnership with L’Amy America for the manufacturing and distribution of Champion eyewear.