The brawny gladiators of Ultimate Fighting Championship have a new -- and rather unlikely -- wardrobe.

Menswear label Van Heusen, known for its suits and business attire, is partnering with the mixed-martial arts organization to put its office-appropriate clothes on professional cagefighters -- at least in commercial spots.

Though no one’s going to be suited-up while the gloves are on, Van Heusen parent company PVH Corp. considers adjacency to sports an important way to win male shoppers. Various brands under the PVH umbrella, which also includes fashion labels Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, already work with athletes in sports like tennis, golf and swimming. For years, PVH even had the naming rights to a sports arena, the former Izod Center in New Jersey.

“Sports is a dominant influencer in men’s marketing,” Mike Kelly, chief marketing officer of PVH Heritage Brands, a division that includes Van Heusen, Izod and Speedo, said in an interview. “Sometimes the fashion community hasn’t really understood that.”

Combat sports haven’t yet spawned a slew of fashion stars like some other athletic feats. In recent years, athletes across sports from basketball and football have become valued fashion influencers, and not just for workout clothes and on-field gear. Examples in recent years include the Russell Westbrook’s fashion collection for Barneys New York and Victor Cruz’s ads for Givenchy. MMA’s style icon is former champion Conor McGregor, whose loud outfits were featured in men’s magazines.

Though terms of the partnership weren’t announced, a person familiar with UFC’s finances said the promotion’s revenue from partnerships this year is up “double digits” over 2017.

That’s in part due to a new five-year distribution deal that UFC signed with Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN. Though the US$1.5 billion deal doesn’t launch until next year, UFC’s sales team believes the anticipation of being on the country’s most-watched sports network has driven interest from new types of companies.

In addition to Van Heusen, the person familiar with UFC’s plans says it has closed a deal with Trifecta Nutrition to be its first-ever meal delivery sponsor, an agreement expected to be announced at the end of the week.

The Van Heusen partnership also underscores how UFC, which was bought by a group led by Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG for US$4 billion in 2016, is able to utilize its new ownership to help drive revenue. The deal came to UFC through IMG, which also represents T.J. Dillashaw and Stephen Thompson, the two fighters being used in Van Heusen’s first UFC commercial for a line of stretchy work-wear.