Reevo has a bright future with former Olympian Hatashita at the healm

If you want top-quality mixed martial arts gear and apparel that doesn’t rely on pitbulls, skulls, and tribal tattoo designs to sell itself, Reevo is a brand worth checking out.

Roman Hatashita, the man behind Reevo and Hatashita International, has spent his entire life around martial arts, and Reevo represents that sense of respect, discipline, and toughness. A four-time Canadian Judo champion and a participant in the 1992 summer Olympics, Hatashita also understands the type of product top-level professional athletes need to succeed.

“I was basically born and raised in a dojo,” Hatashita said. “My father owned a martial arts dojo and I was the dojo rat kid that would hang around the club when not in school.  My family has a strong heritage in judo and martial arts, with my uncle the president of Judo Canada for many years and and my father and uncles all black belts. My father had trained two Olympians and I would follow to become the third.”

Asked about his reason for moving into the MMA business, Hatashita replied, “Reevo was created as a solution for quality and innovative mma gear. I already had plenty of experience designing and making gis and gear for such famous martial arts company’s and people as Mizuno Japan, Rickson Gracie, Fuji, and others. As the owner of Hatashita International, I also have strong skills in manufacturing and distribution.”

These days, MMA-inspired brands are available at any local mall, and discount stores typically have a rack of MMA shirts that went out of style two years ago made by companies no longer in existence. While those brands often rely on sizzle, Reevo is about substance.

“So many of the company’s these days are poser brands with very little experience in manufacturing or design,” Hatashita said when asked about what sets his brand apart from the competition. “Reevo is backed by over 60 years in martial arts and combat sports. “Every stitch and swatch of leather is scrutinized to ensure it will last and perform. We are constantly improving our products to outperform the competition. Our emphasis is on quality.  No skulls, no birds, no bones, no trashy aggressive slogans. Good gear is what we are about.

“One of the mottos of judo is “seiryoku zen’y,” or “maximum efficiency, minimum effort.” One of the guiding principles of Reevo is to embrace this motto. The gear is lighter, more breathable, and designed to be more effective than traditional gear. Reevo has gear that is more effective by design, thus making it more efficient and better to train with, making you a better fighter.”

Hatashita doesn’t simply talk a big game, either. He makes sure that Reevo’s products pass the ultimate test with fighters in the gym.

“The goal in the coming years is to make great gear that becomes the standard for the industry,” he said. “[UFC champion] George St. Pierre’s trainer Firas Zahabi is convinced. He now outfits his club with Reevo and trains his fighters with Reevo. I would like every top trainer to give Reevo a try, because a long term goal would be to become the standard in the industry, and having them on board would mean we have attained our goal.”

Perhaps most importantly, Reevo goes out of its way to help athletes that might not have the financial means to spend hundreds of dollars on gear to prepare for a fight in the amateur or lower-level professional ranks.

“We love to support fighters, trainers, and managers,” Hatashita said. “We have a very unique Ambassador Program, which provides hefty discounts to those on the forefront of the industry. We all know that 99 percent fighters are broke and focused on improving their skills. Reevo gives back to the industry by giving healthy discounts to those that enroll in our Ambassador Program. The Ambassadors also assist us by providing feedback on our gear which makes us better. It’s a real win-win.”

Tags: Featured, Reevo, roman hatashita, Sponsorship News

Category: Featured, Sponsorship News