K-Swiss and FORM Athletics Ink Collaborative Endorsement Deal With Top MMA Fighter Jon 'Bones' Jones

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- California Sports Company K-Swiss (Nasdaq: KSWS) has announced a multi-year endorsement with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Jon "Bones" Jones for both the K-Swiss and FORM Athletics brands. Under the terms of the deal, K-Swiss will add Jones to its stable of performance training footwear ambassadors, and FORM Athletics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of K-Swiss, will expand its current relationship with Jones for both lifestyle and performance apparel.

Jones' first official appearance under the new deal will be the highly anticipated UFC 126 Silva Belfort on February 5, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas as he faces undefeated fighter, Ryan Bader.  

The Jones deal with K-Swiss will include appearances, ad campaigns and representation in the company's growing fitness category.  He joins Jeremy Shockey of the New Orleans Saints, Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers, and Urijah Faber, the MMA Fighter and WEC Champion, in representing the TUBES training footwear category.  Jones will also be collaborating with K-Swiss on a signature shoe.

"Jon is an elite athlete with an incredible training regime," said David Nichols, executive vice president of K-Swiss. "His input will be valuable in developing new footwear, and his notoriety in his sport and great personality will fit well with the K-Swiss athlete roster.  We are extremely excited about working with Jon, and look forward to a bright future with him as part of the K-Swiss family."

As part of his expanded deal, FORM Athletics will release a Jon Jones Signature Collection of performance and lifestyle apparel for both in and out of the ring.  Jones will attend the UFC fan expos and will be featured prominently in FORM's advertising campaigns. The addition of Jones rounds out FORM's roster of athletes and positions FORM near the top of a very competitive light heavyweight division of the UFC, as well as middle, light, feather and bantam weight divisions.

Jones has established himself as one of the most relevant athletes in MMA.  At 23-years-old, he currently fights as a light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and was proclaimed as one of the top eight light heavyweight fighters in the world by UFC President Dana White.  Jones has a strong background in wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and currently fights out of Jackson's Submission Fighting in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

"From the inception of FORM Urijah and I identified Jon as a perfect fit for the brand with athleticism and skill that align perfectly with FORM Athletics brand values," said Mark Miller, president of FORM Athletics and  K-Swiss Orange County. "Jon is well-respected and a perfect ambassador for our company."

FORM Athletics launched in early 2010 and has quickly established itself as a successful and progressive MMA and lifestyle brand designed and inspired by the world's toughest athletes. FORM has built a formidable stable of the industry's most prominent fighters including FORM Co-Founder, MMA/WEC athlete and former Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber, Anthony Pettis, Mark Munoz, Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez, and Jon "Bones" Jones.

"I'm excited and honored to be part of the K-Swiss family, representing both K-Swiss and FORM Athletics," said Jon Jones.  "Working closely with Urijah is special to me, everything he touches turns to gold - he is and will always be a champion." Looking forward, Jones has clear goals working with K-Swiss and FORM Athletics. "It is my mission to create and develop products that include my personal style and will advance athletic performance in both training and competition."

About K-Swiss

Founded more than forty years ago in Van Nuys, California, K-Swiss (Nasdaq: KSWS) introduced the first all-leather tennis shoe, the K-Swiss "Classic" in 1966.  Since its inception, K-Swiss has rooted itself in California Sport with an aim to be the most inspiring and innovative sports brand in the market.  Today the company offers performance and lifestyle footwear and apparel for several categories under its California Sports umbrella including Tennis Heritage, California Fit (Running, Triathlon and Fitness) and California Youth.  K-Swiss also designs, develops and markets footwear under the Palladium brand, and owns the FORM Athletics brand.  For more information about K-Swiss, visit www.kswiss.com.

About FORM Athletics

FORM Athletics is a division of K-Swiss that was founded in 2010 by sportswear veteran Mark Miller and WEC former Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber. FORM was built on the belief that true expression doesn't end in the gym, what you wear speaks to who you are, FORM is a brand designed and inspired for your active lifestyle. FORM is a true testament to the commitment, sacrifice, and confidence inspired by the world's toughest athletes.  www.formathletics.com

SOURCE K-Swiss