T.J. Dillashaw has been getting a lot of shots because he finally left mixed martial arts Team Alpha Male and moved to another team, Elevation Fight Team in Colorado. A lot of people are criticizing him for leaving his mother team for a ‘better’ team with Duane Ludwig, but not Brian Stann.
During a recent interview, Dillashaw explained that he was offered a deal that he simply couldn’t refuse. The reigning bantamweight champ revealed that he will be paid to train with Elevation Fight Team, which is headed by trainer Duane Ludwig. The team is based in Colorado. However, spectators are not buying this reason, saying that they believe the real reason behind the move is because of Ludwig and his bad relationship with Team Alpha Male.
Ludwig Duane has helped T.J. to become the fighter and champion that he is today. He and Dillashaw were both part of Team Alpha Male. However, Duane left the team last year to put up his own gym in Colorado: BANG Muay Thai. Even though Duane left to build his own team, Dillashaw still continued to train under his wing while maintaining a relationship with his teammates in Team Alpha Male.
However, with Dillashaw moving to Duane’s team, it looks like the champ will no longer be welcome to train with his Californian teammates.
T.J.’s focus will now be training with Duane and his MMA team in Colorado. Unlike other spectators, Brian Stann thinks that Dillashaw made a great choice.
“I think that TJ’s making the right decision, and here’s why, first and foremost in this sport you’ve got to be selfish. It is something that held me back a little bit in my career and at the end of the day this is about how much money you can make over the longest period of time you can do it. “
“If TJ Dillashaw feels like that is the better environment for him to go to and make as much money as he can and maximizes opportunities then he’s got to do it, whether it hurts some friend’s feelings or not. His family and paying his bills to take care of his family come first, ahead of all else,” Stann explained.
T.J. Dillashaw is now preparing to defend his belt and face former MMA champ Dominick Cruz for the third time. They will be going against each other inside the octagon this coming January 17th at the UFC Fight Night 81 event which will be held in TD Garden in Boston.