Monster Energy executive Hans Molenkamp has seen his notoriety in MMA skyrocket in recent weeks. However, for a man who is accused of trying to steal the spotlight from fighters, this new found fame has come for all the wrong reasons.
This all started after former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz beat Casey Kenney at UFC 259. When asked what he wanted next Cruz inexplicably called out Molenkamp, someone most viewers had never heard of.
Cruz explained that he wanted a charity fight against Molenkamp as revenge for the treatment he alleges Molenkamp subjects fighters to. Cruz claimed that Molenkamp controls which fighters get fat sponsorship from Monster Energy and that Molenkamp pressures fighters to increase his ‘clout’ online. Cruz said that Molenkamp threatens to take the Monster sponsorship away from fighters who don’t play along.
Since Cruz’s revelations, former UFC middleweight champion (and current UFC commentator) Michael Bisping has also spoken out about Molenkamp.
On his Believe You Me podcast Bisping told a story about how he lost his sponsorship with Monster Energy (ht sportskeeda).
“Ya, that’s what [Molenkamp] does and he tried it with me. Alright, f**k it. I’m gonna talk. I am gonna say it. I’m driving out of Vegas one night after commentating and he calls me up and he is going, ‘Mike, we’re friends, we’re friends, aren’t we?’ And I say, No we’re not, okay. I’ve known you for a long time but we never hung out. We’re business associates and that’s okay. Do you know what I mean?”
“Stop dangling this friend card. We’re not friends, we’re business associates. That’s it. That’s all we need to be. We don’t get together, our families don’t hang out. Shortly after that, I wasn’t with a certain company anymore. All of a sudden I am f***ing broke, okay? Thank you Hans.”
Monster Energy claimed they are currently investigating allegations made by Cruz and others regarding Molenkamp.
About the author
