This is a list of notable present professional training camps and gyms in mixed martial arts (MMA). [1] [2] [3] [4]
Most professional MMA fighters in the UFC, Bellator and other MMA promotions join a professional fight camp or training gym to help them prepare for fights. Training at a top camp can be a big advantage to fighters, as not only do they have access to multi-disciplinary coaching, but they can also train against the other top fighters at the camp and nominate members of the camp as corner men. By training a group of elite fighters together, they will all learn from each other's skill sets and can support each other living the disciplined fighter lifestyle. Before a fight, a fighter will undergo an intensive training regime of several weeks, often culminating in a dramatic weight cut to make the required fighting weight, and the other members in the fighting camp are an important part of this process. [5]
There are rivalries between the top fighting camps and their fighters. Occasionally there will be a high-profile split or conflict between members of a camp, particularly when two closely matched fighters are in the same weight class. For example, one of the current top MMA teams the Blackzillians was formed [6] when former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans left Jackson-Wink MMA, in an acrimonious split relating to head coach Greg Jackson's support for up and coming contender Jon Jones' title shot when Evans was injured. [7]
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling, incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
Duane Paul Ludwig is an American mixed martial arts coach, retired professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist.
The Chute Boxe Academy is a Brazilian martial arts academy. It opened as a Muay Thai academy in 1978 in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Head trainer Rudimar Fedrigo later expanded the program in 1991 to include other aspects of modern mixed martial arts, such as wrestling and submission grappling. By 1995, the Chute Boxe team was considered a prime training ground for Vale Tudo fighters. In 2004, an American branch, Chute Boxe USA, was established in Los Angeles, California.
Rashad Evans is an American retired mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 in 2005. In 2008, Evans won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, and in 2019, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Maurício Milani Rua, also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. A professional competitor since 2002, Rua is also the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion.
Glover Lucas Teixeira is a Brazilian-American former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Teixeira is a former member of the Brazilian National Wrestling Team and has competed in the WEC, Impact FC, PFC and Shooto. He is the second oldest UFC champion in history behind Randy Couture and the oldest first time champion in UFC history.
Gregory Jackson is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) trainer who co-owns Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, widely considered one of the top MMA training centers in the world. Jackson has trained many successful fighters, including current UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm, former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans, and a roster of other UFC contenders and World Extreme Cagefighting champions.
Jason Guida is an American former professional mixed martial artist who last competed for Bellator. A professional competitor from 2003 until 2014, he also fought for EliteXC, the WEC, KSW, Adrenaline MMA and World Extreme Fighting. Jason is the older brother of Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Clay Guida.
James McSweeney is a British retired kickboxer and mixed martial artist. A professional since 2005, McSweeney is best known for being a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights and competing in the UFC, but he has also competed in major European promotions such as KSW, Cage Rage and BAMMA.
Joanne Wood is a Scottish retired professional mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai champion who competed in the Women's Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The Blackzilians was a professional team of fighters in mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, amateur wrestling and catch wrestling located in South Florida. The team had included former UFC champions Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Eddie Alvarez and Kamaru Usman.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is a Polish former professional mixed martial artist, Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer. Jędrzejczyk competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she holds several records and is a former UFC Women's Strawweight Champion, including most successful strawweight title defenses (5), most consecutive wins at strawweight (8), and is the first Polish champion and first female European champion. She has been called the greatest female strawweight mixed martial artist of all time, including by Daniel Cormier, who credited her with putting the weight class "on the map".
Jonathan Dwight Jones is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. A professional competitor since 2008, Jones was previously the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion from 2011 to 2015 and from 2018 to 2020, as well as the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in 2016. As of November 19, 2024, he is #2 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings. He is regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
Chris Gruetzemacher is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2008, he has also competed for Strikeforce, the World Series of Fighting, and was a competitor on The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber.
Zhang Weili is a Chinese professional mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current and two-time UFC Women's Strawweight Champion and the first Chinese fighter to win a UFC championship. A professional competitor since 2013, Zhang formerly competed for Kunlun Fight (KLF), where she was the KLF Women's Strawweight Champion. As of September 5, 2023, she is #2 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
Jackson Wink MMA Academy is a mixed martial arts gym based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The gym has been featured in several sports documentaries and has been called one of the best MMA gyms in the world by various MMA magazines.
Roufusport is a mixed martial arts gym based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Known as one of the top gyms in MMA, it has produced current UFC champion Belal Muhammad, former UFC champions, Anthony Pettis and Tyron Woodley.
Kill Cliff FC, officially known as Kill Cliff Fight Club is a mixed martial arts gym based in Deerfield Beach, Florida. It was originally founded in 2017 by Henri Hooft and Greg Jones as Combat Club and later Hard Knocks 365 before being rebranded to Sanford MMA in 2019 after obtaining a sponsorship deal with Sanford Health. In July 2022, the gym rebranded to Kill Cliff FC.
MMA Factory is a mixed martial arts gym based in Paris, France. It is considered the largest MMA gym in France, and is notable for producing former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou and former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion, Ciryl Gane.
Firas Zahabi is a Canadian martial artist who is the owner and head coach at Tristar Gym. Zahabi is known for his work with mixed martial artist Georges St-Pierre.