UFC in fresh talks with Trevor Wittman over glove design that could end eye-poke crisis

UFC executive Hunter Campbell has reached out to coach Trevor Wittman to restart talks over adopting his glove design, Wittman revealed on Joe Rogan’s podcast — reigniting a conversation that has followed the promotion through two failed attempts to solve its long-running eye-poke problem.

“Hunter reached out to me three weeks ago, four weeks ago, and said he wanted to ignite the conversation again,” Wittman said. “So we’ll see where that goes.”

The UFC introduced redesigned gloves in 2024 with the stated aim of reducing eye pokes and protecting fighters’ hands, but the rollout backfired. Fighters complained about the fit and feel, knockout rates dropped during the period the gloves were in use, and by early 2025 the promotion had quietly reverted to its previous design.

Wittman’s gloves had been cited as a benchmark throughout that process. His curved design positions the fingers into a more natural, fist-like shape, which reduces the likelihood of an accidental eye poke without sacrificing performance. Fighters who had trained or competed in them consistently praised the result.

Rogan, who put one of Wittman’s gloves on during the broadcast, was characteristically direct in his assessment. “This is so superior to the UFC gloves,” he said. “The fact that this isn’t being used by the UFC right now is f*cking criminal.”

Wittman confirmed that earlier consultations with the UFC had taken place under a non-disclosure agreement, and that the promotion had drawn on his ideas when developing its own redesign — but the two sides never agreed to simply license what he had already built.

“They did the right thing and tried to make what we spoke about,” Wittman said. “We had an NDA and we had a five-year [agreement] and they moved it to a two-year. Took a lot of great notes and I’m grateful to be a part of those. Because they did go out there and use a lot of ideas that I had. But they just couldn’t do it to the level that I could do it.”

Wittman, who most recently guided Justin Gaethje to the undisputed UFC lightweight championship, said he is now better positioned to close a deal, having stepped back from the commercial side and brought in people with dedicated negotiating experience.

“We’re going to get it done,” he said. “I stepped away from the business part. I’m the visionary now. I’ve got my people who know how to make deals. The UFC’s going to be happy.”

Dana White has not made a detailed public statement on the renewed talks, though the UFC’s decision to re-engage Wittman signals the promotion has not abandoned the search for a long-term glove solution.