UFC Bantamweight Champion T.J. Dillashaw is leaving Team Alpha Male, and joining a new developing team at the MusclePharm facility in Denver, Colorado.
The news was first reported by Combate, with additional details from FoxSports.com.
A team is being put together to train at the 40,000 square foot campus, with the FoxSports.com report stating several other UFC fighters will be joining Dillashaw in the coming weeks. However, Dillashaw himself says it’s not a permanent exit from TAM.
“In regards to my upcoming fight camp, I will be doing my training in Colorado,” he said in a statement via MMAFighting.com. “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.”
Penick’s Analysis: This is a really intriguing development that has immediately led to speculation about Dillashaw and Urijah Faber potentially fighting. Now that they’re split and training separately, there isn’t going to be the same type of day to day interaction that could keep them from fighting one another. Of course, Faber isn’t in title contention at the moment, and Dillashaw has Dominick Cruz ahead of him, but it’s something that could very well be coming in the near future. Hopefully Dillashaw only finds this as a positive development and continue the progression which has led to his recent performances.
Leave a Reply