UFC: New Zealand Rugby and UFC clash over silver fern imagery put down to 'miscommunication' 25 Feb, 2021 06:00 AM 3 minutes to read Eugene Bareman and Israel Adesanya speak to the media. Photo / Photosport Christopher Reive is a sports reporter for NZME@chrisreive A dispute between the UFC and New Zealand Rugby over the use of the silver fern on the kit of Kiwi fighters has been quickly resolved, with a miscommunication at the heart of it. Eugene Bareman, who trains six UFC fighters including middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at City Kickboxing in Auckland, revealed the UFC had been contacted over trademark issues around the use of the silver fern design that appears on the sleeves of UFC fighters' pre-fight shirts and hoodies.