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Columbus, OH December 13,
2012 – Lutte Licensing Group, LLC announced
today an exclusive agreement with 2X US Olympian
and undefeated Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand
Prix Champion, Daniel Cormier. Lutte Licensing
Group, LLC, which also owns the exclusive
licensing and manufacturing rights to prominent
mixed martial arts brands, Cage Fighter® and CF
Athletic®, entered the authentic athletic mixed
martial arts branded apparel business in 2007
and has been a prominent supporter of the mixed
martial arts and mixed martial artists since
entering the Octagon at UFC® 74. Cormier will
become the face of Lutte’s CF Athletic® brand
and it’s return to athlete sponsorship in mixed
martial arts.
The announcement of Cormier’s signing follows a
busy 2012 for Lutte Licensing Group and it’s CF
Athletic® brand as the company has experienced
explosive top line sales growth by returning to
the grass roots of mixed martial arts, amateur
wrestling. Lutte’s Founder and CEO, Michael
DiSabato, was a former D1 student athlete at The
Ohio State University. While at Ohio State,
DISabato competed alongside former UFC®
Heavyweight Champion/UFC® Hall of Famer, Mark
Coleman, and former UFC Champion and Pride
Veteran, Kevin Randleman. Lutte’s authentic
background in the amateur wrestling community
which dates back more than 40 years provides the
perfect synergy for the brand and its base. The
pinnacle of Lutte’s return to the sport of
wrestling may have occurred earlier this year at
the 2012 London Olympic Games, when former 2X
NCAA® Wrestling Champion and Fila® World
Champion, Jordan Burroughs, captured the Olympic
Gold Medal at 74KG in freestyle wrestling. Lutte
was the first to recognize Burrough’s iconic
athletic ability and personality in the summer
following his last collegiate match and before
he had competed in his first international
competition.
As per Lutte’s attraction to and interest in
working with Burroughs, Cormier is a former high
profile member of the US World Team and a 2X US
Olympian in freestyle wrestling. Like Burroughs,
Cormier possesses rare athletic ability with a
bigger than life personality outside the cage.
Cormier rise to the top of the heavyweight
rankings has been meteoric as the former
Oklahoma State Cowboy wrestling alumnus is
undefeated and the winner of one of the most
prestigious Heavyweight Grand Prix tournaments
in the history of the sport. The list of
athletes competing in the Strikeforce Grand Prix
included an impressive list of MMA legends
including Fedor Emelianenko, Andre Arlovski,
Fabrico Werdum, Alistar Overeem, and Antonio
Silva. Cormier defeated Silva by vicious
knockout in the second round of their semifinal
matchup after replacing Alistar Overeem in the
Grand Prix tournament field. In the finals,
Cormier looked like a seasoned professional with
an impressive unanimous decision victory over
former UFC® Heavyweight Champion and Pride®
superstar, Josh Barnett.
Lutte’s agreement with Cormier is a multi-fight
deal granting Lutte’s CF Athletic®/ Cage
Fighter® exclusive marketing, sponsorship and
licensing rights in the authentic athletic
apparel category. The agreement marks a coming
home of sorts for Cormier as he began his career
in 2008 as a key member of the Cage Fighter’s
impressive list of athlete representatives. “I
am so excited to be coming home to the brand
that was the first to support my efforts in this
sport,” says Cormier. “Lutte’s management team
believed in me from day one and was willing to
invest in my development and allow me to have a
singular focus on making the transition from
international wrestling to competitive mixed
martial arts. Lutte has a unique understanding
of the demands and needs of athletes in our
sport and is developing a brand that supports
and promotes the community that I came from and
love, wrestling. They truly know what it means
to Embrace The Grind®,” says Cormier .
“Lutte is honored and excited to bring our good
friend, Daniel Cormier, back home to the brand
he knows and loves,” says Michael DiSabato,
Founder and CEO of Lutte. “Daniel is a dream
athlete representative for any brand as he
possesses undeniable athlete ability as well as
an unique ability to share our message as a
brand with our base in an authentic manner. DC
embodies our creed better than any athlete in
mixed martial arts. He comes from the most
important discipline in MMA, wrestling, which
means he understands better than most how to
EMBRACE THE GRIND®, “ says DiSabato.
Lutte Licensing Group, LLC is a boutique
manufacturing and licensing company started by
Michael H. DiSabato. Lutte Licensing Group owns
exclusive licensing rights to prominent mixed
martial arts brands including Cage Fighter® and
CF® Athletic. Cage Fighter® and CF® has been
worn by some of the finest athletes in the sport
including Chuck Liddell, BJ Penn, Urijah Faber,
Forrest Griffin, Gray Maynard, Mo Lawal, Mark
Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Josh Thompson, and
Mike Swick. DiSabato is also credited for
developing the first and only mixed martial arts
lifestyle brand, MMA Elite®, to be sold to
Walmart stores in both the US and Canada.
For more information, contact
Contact person – Joe Chay
Contact email – joe@cfathletic.com
Contact phone number – 614-274-1141 |
