TJ Dillashaw leaves Team Alpha Male

It's official. Killashaw has left Alpha Male. Even though the statement says it's just about new opportunities, I wonder how much of it is actually due to tensions with The Jelly One, Urijah Faber.

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TJ Dillashaw's next training camp will be with a new team in Colorado.

Following a Globo report, which stated that Dillashaw had parted ways with Team Alpha Male, Dillashaw provided the following exclusive statement to MMAFighting.com:

"In regards to my upcoming fight camp, I will be doing my training in Colorado. The last six years at Team Alpha Male have been irreplaceable and my brothers there will forever be family to me. I thank each and every one of them for helping me along the way and being a part of this journey we've shared. This is not the end of being a part of the Team Alpha Male family, but a new chapter in my career.

"I will be spending my next full training camp with Team Elevation as they've offered me an opportunity that I couldn't pass up, with an incredible coaching staff and state of the art facilities.

"I want to thank everyone for the continued support as this has not been a decision I've taken lightly."

Dillashaw's striking coach Duane Ludwig isn't a part of the team, however, Dillashaw will still be training with him since he also lives in Colorado.

When contacted by MMAFighting.com, Urijah Faber, the founder of Team Alpha Male, said, "We are sad to see [Dillashaw] go, but we're excited about the next set of champion being developed at Team Alpha Male."

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http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/10/6...am-in-colorado

The jelly one? From everything I've read, Bang Ludwig is just a terrible person, and he doesn't even really deny it. Plus, his name is Duane. Be honest, every Duane you've ever met has been that shady dude that hits you up for money.

Who is Team Elevation?

I suspect that Faber has been jealous and a bit resentful of TJ being able to destroy Barao and become champ when he personally failed so badly at attempting to do the same.

Where did you hear this about Duane? What is it exactly that's supposed to make him such a terrible person (aside of course from being named Duane)?

As for Team Elevation, all I know is it's a brand new team in Denver. I think I read that Brandon Thatch and Cat Zingano are also there.

free yourself up an hour and have a listen to this;

http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/9/22...8-urijah-faber

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Originally Posted by SPX

I suspect that Faber has been jealous and a bit resentful of TJ being able to destroy Barao and become champ when he personally failed so badly at attempting to do the same.

Where did you hear this about Duane? What is it exactly that's supposed to make him such a terrible person (aside of course from being named Duane)?

As for Team Elevation, all I know is it's a brand new team in Denver. I think I read that Brandon Thatch and Cat Zingano are also there.

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Why would Faber be jealous of TJ? Faber was not only the face of a division, but the face of an entire organization for years. He's been part of a highly successful team for a long time, and he's got one of the better careers out there.

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Originally Posted by Ludo

Why would Faber be jealous of TJ? Faber was not only the face of a division, but the face of an entire organization for years. He's been part of a highly successful team for a long time, and he's got one of the better careers out there.

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I think Faber isn't the type to age gracefully. He wants to be the champ. Not just yesterday, but also today.

Honestly, I'm surprised you're even posing this question.

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Originally Posted by BetMMA

free yourself up an hour and have a listen to this;

http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/9/22...8-urijah-faber

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Yeah, this. Fabre goes IN on Ludwig in explicit detail for an hour, and his response is basically not to deny but just downplay everything.

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Originally Posted by SPX

I think Faber isn't the type to age gracefully. He wants to be the champ. Not just yesterday, but also today.

Honestly, I'm surprised you're even posing this question.

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Couldn't disagree more. Faber's about as nice, generous and genuine a guy as you will find in MMA.

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Originally Posted by zY|

Yeah, this. Fabre goes IN on Ludwig in explicit detail for an hour, and his response is basically not to deny but just downplay everything.

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All right, I'll have to check it out and see what's going on here.

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Originally Posted by BetMMA

Couldn't disagree more. Faber's about as nice, generous and genuine a guy as you will find in MMA.

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Don't get me wrong, I'm a Faber fan and think he's a cool dude, but it's always been clear that being the champ is very important to him. I can't help but believe that seeing TJ hold the belt--seeing TJ destroy Barao in a way that he just couldn't do--has fucked with him a little.

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Originally Posted by SPX

I think Faber isn't the type to age gracefully. He wants to be the champ. Not just yesterday, but also today.

Honestly, I'm surprised you're even posing this question.

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I don't think it's jealousy. Obviously he wanted to be the one to hold the belt and have beaten Barao, but that doesn't mean he covets the belt if it's on a teammates waist. He can want to be the best and still be genuinely happy for a guy he helped create at the same time.

I still don't see Faber being the kind of guy to be bitter about a teammate finding success. He's come off as being one of the least selfish fighters in the sport, at least to me.

I doubt anything is jealousy.

I believe it's a case of Dillashaw not wanting to have the pressure of choosing between two camps and doing both to make both people happy and feels he is better off in Colorado. Also, financial decision. They are paying him to train there.

The paying-him-to-train-there bit is interesting. I wonder what that's all about. I mean, I know it's good to have a champ in-house but I've never heard of an arrangement like this.

You want to start training or you are a lower level fighter looking to switch things up. Your town has two gyms. One has the UFC bantamweight champ, the other one doesn't. Which do you join?

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Originally Posted by zY|

You want to start training or you are a lower level fighter looking to switch things up. Your town has two gyms. One has the UFC bantamweight champ, the other one doesn't. Which do you join?

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I understand the sentiment. I just have never heard of such an arrangement. Is TJ breaking new ground here?

Perhaps. Doesn't sound like a kind of Team Takedown situation, lol.

I mean, I don't think anyone paid Cain to train at AKA while he was champ. And I doubt anyone is paying Mighty Mouse to train at AMC. Hell, they may even charge MM double because no one gives a fuck about him.

Dillashaw may actually be pioneering a whole new model for fighters and their relationships with their gyms.

It's a musclepharm thing. Musclepharm is funding it...not the camp