5 MMA gyms that had only one successful fighter from them
In mixed martial arts (MMA), fighters are sometimes only as good as their gym. While Georges St-Pierre would have likely achieved greatness regardless, the guidance he earned from Firas Zahabi at Tristar served him well. It transformed his jab into one of the most pre-eminent weapons of that generation.
Similarly, it was Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn who taught Jon Jones how to use his height and reach to land punishing oblique kicks. Unfortunately, not every gym is as good at producing superstar athletes. Some fight camps do well enough, while others are severely lacking.
Some of the more noticeable gyms, however, are the ones that have only had one successful fighter. This list examines five mixed martial arts gyms that have only produced one successful fighter in the UFC.
#5. Team Renegade Jiu Jitsu and MMA
England isn't known for hosting the best gyms across the globe. There are, however, serviceable gyms that prepare mixed martial artists for most of their bouts. Unfortunately, wrestling is an often-neglected aspect of mixed martial arts that English gyms don't usually have high-level resources for.
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Other than Tom Breese, who never came close to a UFC title fight, the only other fighter from Team Renegade in the UFC is Leon Edwards. 'Rocky' embarked on an 11-fight unbeaten streak that culminated in him capturing the UFC welterweight championship from Kamaru Usman.
#4. Syndicate MMA
Like many gyms, Syndicate MMA has been occasionally frequented by fighters who happen to be in Las Vegas and in need of somewhere to train. Donald Cerrone once trained there, but it was never the gym that 'Cowboy' called home. Instead, the one-time UFC title challenger trained at Jackson-Wink MMA.
Dec27.2008
Frank Mir finishes Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira by knockout at UFC 92,
to become the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion https://t.co/8RckpS3JTP
The only successful UFC fighter who trained at Syndicate MMA was Frank Mir. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is a former undisputed and interim heavyweight champion in the promotion.
#3. Glory MMA
Before his entire life was engulfed by a betting scandal that threatened the very foundation of his livelihood, James Krause was the founder of Glory MMA. While it's a relatively young gym when compared to its contemporaries, Glory MMA has benefitted tremendously from James Krause's knowledge and expertise.
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Unfortunately, due to its novelty, it didn't have many great fighters. Megan Anderson once trained there, however, her overall record was 11-5 despite managing a title challenge. Only Brandon Moreno has achieved noteworthy success under James Krause's banner by capturing UFC interim gold.
#2. Straight Blast Gym Ireland
By now, most people are aware of Straight Blast Gym Ireland's reputation. Its claim to fame has always been Conor McGregor. Unfortunately, other than 'The Notorious,' SBG has not produced any other fighters of significant success. Its only other noteworthy fighters are Gunnar Nelson, Artem Lobov, and Johnny Walker.
On this day in 2015, Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds at UFC 194 💥
It remains the fastest finish in UFC title fight history. https://t.co/V5tWPOdHmI
Gunnar Nelson has never captured a title in any martial arts organization, let alone the UFC. Furthermore, his UFC record is a win-loss run with no clear direction. Artem Lobov has a poor record of 13-15-1 (1). While Johnny Walker has regressed since joining SBG, he has won two of his last five fights.
Although there are other fighters like Dillon Danis and Makwan Amirkhani, neither has achieved anything in MMA. Danis only had two professional fights before being derailed by a knee injury. Meanwhile, Amirkhani has never come close to cracking the top five in his division and has lost four of his last five fights.
#1. Glendale Fighting Club
The unfortunate truth when it comes to Glendale Fighting Club is that it only has one successful fighter. Ronda Rousey captured the imagination of UFC fans across the globe, but she was successful despite being a Glendale Fighting Club member. Her abilities as a fighter eventually degraded under Edmond Tarverdyan.
Champion. Pioneer. Legend.
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Furthermore, other than 'Rowdy,' no other fighter has achieved anything remotely noteworthy under his guidance. Travis Browne was once a surging heavyweight contender with creative striking. However, upon joining Glendale Fighting Club, his creative striking took a backseat to boxing fundamentals.
This led to a very poor run of two wins in seven fights that culminated in an unremarkable retirement. Additionally, Edmen Shahbazyan has stagnated as a fighter at Glendale Fighting Club. He only recently snapped a three-fight losing streak by winning for the first time in three years.