Brandon Vera, Dominick Cruz & Phil Davis Deliver Alliance Training Center’s Lifetime Membership Award to a student at Mar Vista High School.

The post Brandon Vera, Dominick Cruz & Phil Davis Deliver Lifetime Membership Award appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

By MMAUpdater

A collection of different clips of the very underrated and technical former WEC Bantamweight and current UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz training.

The post VIDEO: Dominick Cruz Training Highlights appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

By Fuel TV

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz spoke to UFC Tonight’s Kenny Florian and Todd Harris about his crazy 2nd ACL injury. How is “The Dominator” dealing with this devastating setback?

The post UFC Champion Dominick Cruz Speaks Out About Brutal 2nd ACL Injury appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

By Dojo.TV

Last week I was once again lurking about down at Alliance MMA in Chula Vista, only on this day, I showed up to find a crew already filming Cruz and Gustafsson in a little pimp session for The Ultimate Insider. (I think… I also saw some Bad Boy branding on the backs of their GoPros, so they could have a hand in it as well). Anyway, Dom had been in and out of the gym since I’d been hanging around, but since he wasn’t one of the guys fighting in December (and he’s still healing), I’ve pretty much left him alone as far as the camera goes.

The post Spoiler alert! Dominick Cruz and Alexander Gustafsson Slap Leather for the Cameras *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

By FOX Sports Arizona
UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz of Tucson talks with Lisa Blanco about his gig driving the pace car at Phoenix International Raceway.

The post UFC Champ Dominick Cruz Sets The Pace *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

By Fightline

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz knows what UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre went through for several months. GSP, who will return from a torn ACL this Saturday night at UFC 154: St-Pierre vs. Condit, spent over a year on the sidelines due to knee issues.
Cruz, who went down with the same injury earlier this year, is hoping for an early 2013 return. Nothing has been set, but he informed UFC.com recently just how bad the injury is.

“This is the worst thing I’ve ever been through in my entire life. It’s horrible,” Cruz said. “The biggest problem with the ACL tear is the mental aspect. That’s the hardest part of the whole situation: having faith in that knee.”

Cruz and St-Pierre now share championship gold and rehabilitated knees in common, and “The Dominator” will be an interested viewer come Saturday in seeing what kind of GSP enters the Octagon.

“I do think that GSP has proven to be one of the most mentally strong people there is,” Cruz said, “so if anybody can do it, it’s him. I wish him the best and I cross my fingers for him because we share the same injury and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

The post Dominick Cruz An Interested Viewer For GSP’s Return At UFC 154 appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

BY Ariel Shnerer

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has been named Honorary Pace Car Driver for the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Nov. 11.

Full press release below:

Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announced today that Ultimate Fighting Championship® bantamweight champion, and former star of The Ultimate Fighter® Live on FX, Dominick Cruz has been named Honorary Pace Car Driver for the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, November 11.

“We are honored to have Dominick Cruz as our Honorary Pace Car Driver, he has always represented his sport and the state of Arizona with class,” said Sperber. “We know our fans will be excited to see him drive the pace car on race day.”

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Cruz, 27, has ascended to the top of his profession. Known for his outstanding speed and footwork, Cruz has compiled a 19-1-0 professional record that includes wins over the likes of Demetrious Johnson, Urijah Faber, Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez and Brian Bowles.

“I’m excited to be making my return to PIR and the Advocare 500 NASCAR race,” said Cruz. “My first experience in the pace car was one of the coolest and most unique opportunities I have ever had. To feel even a sliver of the adrenaline that these drivers experience was so awesome and I can’t wait to do it again.”

Cruz will participate in pre-race ceremonies and will make appearances onsite at PIR on Sunday, November 11. Additional information on race weekend activities is available on Phoenix International Raceway’s official website at www.phoenixraceway.com

About Phoenix International Raceway

Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has served race fans as the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. Watch the Semi-Final Race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at PIR on Sunday, Nov. 11. Tickets for the entire Nov. 8-11 NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more information, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

Coming up next: UFC 153: Silva on Bonnar is live on PPV from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, October 13 at 7 PM PT/10 PM ET. Click here for more info

The post Dominick Cruz Named Honorary Pace Car Driver appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by MMATraining.com

UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz is one of the division’s larger fighters, finding success as a featherweight prior to dropping down to 135 pounds. However, it might surprise folks to know Cruz doesn’t necessarily sacrifice foods many might consider bad for an athlete attempting to slim down – particularly, Mexican cuisine.

Check out Cruz’s thoughts on the matter and why he feels things like carne asada, rice, and beans can actually be a GOOD thing for people attempting to get in shape.

The post Diet With Dominick Cruz appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by UFC

Stuck on the sidelines, Dominick Cruz is in the midst of the toughest fight of his career.

Four months after a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) forced him out of a summer title defense against his nemesis and fellow Ultimate Fighter coach Urijah Faber, the UFC bantamweight champion is fighting his body and his mind as he works towards a clean bill of health. He knows that he taking the right steps – following his physical therapist’s orders, adhering to the rehabilitation schedule set out for him, giving the new construction of his knee time to fuse and strengthen – but he still can’t shake the feeling that he’s not doing enough.

Cruz is what my father would call a “gym rat.”

Though originally embedded in my vocabulary as a descriptor of the basketball fiend who could always be found shooting 15-foot jumpers in the dimmed lights of the dormant gymnasium or working on his handle in the wee hours of the morning, the tag is easily transferable, and is an apt description of the 27-year-old “Dominator” and countless others in mixed martial arts.

The majority of his days are spent in the gym, drilling, grinding, training, preparing. It’s not only what he does to earn a living, but how he identifies himself as well, and right now, that has been taken from him. Just as the basketball junkie would be lost without the ability to shoot foul shots to his heart’s content, Cruz feels like there is something missing since he’s unable to put himself through the daily grind that has been his routine for so long. The only thing keeping him from over-extending and pushing too hard too soon is his belief that suffering through the restrictions of his injury is what being a champion is all about.

“Sometimes being a professional isn’t always about giving 100 percent because right now I’m not allowed to give 100 percent,” opines the injured champion. “If I tried to go put 100 percent into my training right now, I’d blow my knee out. Right now, being a professional is about staying calm, staying very patient, and letting the process take its course. I feel like a true champion can figure out a way to make due with what he’s got, and right now, that’s what I’m trying to do.

“It’s frustrating,” he says with a laugh, answering the obvious follow-up question about how he’s handling the rehabilitation process. “If anything, that’s the one thing you can really get out of this interview. I’m frustrated. I’m ready to train, I’m ready to fight, but I can’t. This is for sure the toughest battle I’ve gone through in my life; no question. My livelihood somewhat depends on my body, and me fighting, me performing, and me practicing, and I’m not able to do that right now.

“It’s a constant mental battle. `Are you doing enough to be the best? Are you doing what you’re supposed to be doing?’ I know deep down inside that I am, but something in the back of my mind – because I’m an athlete, because I train, because that’s what I do and that’s what comes natural to me – something in the back of my brain is always telling me, `You should be doing more.’ The hardest part of physical therapy isn’t the therapy; it’s holding back on the things that I’d like to be doing.”

Not only is Cruz battling the physical limitations that accompany the kind of major injury and surgery he’s experienced, but the always candid champion says he’s also fighting to accept the praise, encouragement, and support being offered up by the legions of UFC fans who are eager to see the man who stands atop the 135-pound weight class healthy and back in action.

“One of the biggest, toughest things for me is the fans – the fans want to see me fight. People want to see the champion out there doing what he does best, and for me to be out, I feel like it’s hard on the fans, and I don’t like that because I appreciate my fans, and I like to be able to go out and perform for them.

“To be going to these big events and not be training is by far the hardest thing ever,” Cruz continues, elaborating on one of the struggles you might not naturally expect a champion to contend with as he comes back from injury.

“In my mind, what I’ve been telling myself since Day 1 is that you can go to every event out there and make yourself as famous as possible, but unless you’re putting the work in, it’s all in vain because none of this continues unless you’re training hard and doing what you’ve got to do to win. In my mind, it’s hard for me to go out there and get all this praise, and get these pats on the back when I can’t go in there and grind myself to the bone, and make myself feel like I deserve all this recognition. It’s hard – that’s the mental struggle and that’s the battle. I challenge myself everyday so that I can feel like I deserve those pats on the back and that I deserve to be champion, and when I can’t go out there and grind myself to the bone, it’s a mental battle for me because I judge myself more than anyone else possibly could.”

While his own quest to get back in the cage is the driving force in his daily routine, Cruz is also spurred on by the increased depth and list of potential challengers coming together in the bantamweight division in his stead.

After he was forced out of his scheduled trilogy bout with Faber this summer, UFC President Dana White inserted surging Brazilian standout Renan Barao in Cruz’s place, an interim bantamweight title adding to the stakes of the bout that ended up headlining UFC 149 in Calgary in late July. Over five rounds, the Nova Uniao product got the better of the exchanges, beating Faber to the punch and having a counter to much of what “The California Kid” had to offer. Once he finally stopped bounding around the Octagon, Barao’s hand was raised and the newly minted interim title was wrapped around his waist.

“You know, they were fighting for the #1 contender spot in my opinion,” Cruz says of the contest. “I tip my hat to Barao for a great performance that night, and I take nothing from him, but until he fights me, he’s not the true champion. That’s just the way it is, and everybody knows that. I’m not taking away from the performance that he had, but that was for the #1 contender spot; that wasn’t for the championship.

“He’s done a good job to get there, but when he fights me, he’ll get to see what it’s like to fight for a championship belt. All I can do is sit back and wait – get my knee better, perfect what I’m doing, and stay mentally sharp. Him beating that guy that he beat, it was good for the division. Out with the old, in with the new.”

While Barao has asserted himself as the top contender in the division – and has suggested he’d rather wait to face Cruz in the future than defend the interim title he won in Calgary – there are others making noise in the division as well, including one of Cruz’s closest friends, Mike “The Hulk” Easton. The D.C. native has amassed a perfect 3-0 record since making his UFC debut in October 2011, giving him eight consecutive victories overall, and making him an intriguing contender in the division his teammate and chief training partner currently reigns.

“Me and Mike have talked a lot about it because if you don’t talk to your training partners about there being a possibility of fighting them you’re an idiot,” Cruz laughs. “We know there is a possibility, and I wouldn’t want it any other way than to be fighting one of my best friends for the world title. What better circumstances are there than you and your main training partner are the two best guys in the world, and you’re going to fight for that position? In my opinion, we’re doing something right. He’s like family, but that would not stop us from beating the living crap out of each other, and I know he shares that mindset with me. Maybe that’s why we’re such good friends?”

While his injury and inability to step into the cage provides daily frustration and motivation, it also allows Cruz to sit back and assess his dominion from a distance, and keep tabs on those who are lining up to challenge for his title. The way he sees it, the division – and the UFC as a whole – will continue to get deeper and stronger as time marches on.

“The division is developing and the UFC altogether is growing. There are more fights, and as a result, they’re able to bring in more fighters, and the level of competition just keeps rising. Needless to say, the 135-pound division is growing, and keeps getting better.

For right now, the division and the sport are moving forward without him, leaving Cruz to battle his frustrations and limitations while reminding himself that he’s doing the right thing. It’s a constant struggle for the bantamweight champion, but one that he knows leads to a day when he’ll once again be able to step into the Octagon and remind everyone – even himself – why he’s viewed as one of the very best in the sport, and the undisputed ruler of the 135-pound ranks.

“The division never stops; there is always going to be somebody that is the next best contender, and somebody who is looking super-good like they could beat the champ. But the bottom line is that until they get in there and fight the champ, they’ll never know.”

The post Dominick Cruz: An Update from the Land of Frustration appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by Rudy-Dexter

UFC light heavyweight Joey Beltran is a man known for his ability to take an insane amount of punishment as evidenced in his wars with Matt Mitrione, Pat Barry and most recently James Te-Huna. Twice he has earned a bonus check for Fight of the Night and although he lost his first bout as a light heavyweight in the UFC to Te-Huna, he showed once again why he is such a fan favorite.

His go for broke style is what has endeared him to MMA fans, but he is also known for his outgoing personality and being a very loyal teammate. He joined Mitch Ciccarelli & I this past Sunday on BJPenn.Com Radio to discuss a variety of topics including what’s next on the agenda for the San Diego, CA native.

“Right now I’m making the most of the time off before I have a fight booked,” Beltran told BJPenn.Com Radio. “I’m working really hard in the weight room and with my strength coach as well to improve my wrestling and BJJ. I’m working daily with my teammates over at Alliance MMA and Blackline Training Center. Everything is going really well, I’ve been able to heal up some of those nagging injuries that tend to follow you into your fights. My manager spoke to Joe Silva last week and he said to make sure I’m ready especially with all of the injuries that have hit the UFC lately. I just have to be ready to rock and I’m training with the anticipation of getting a call anytime now.”

Injuries are always going to be a worry for UFC President Dana White. These days athletes are training harder, longer and putting their bodies through intense workouts in order to become the best mixed martial artist they can be. With that being said, we asked Beltran what he thought about having a third fighter on standby should one of the main event participants get injured while preparing for their bout.

The UFC could employ this option for the main event fights only and would of course have to compensate this fighter even if his services weren’t needed. This would basically act as an insurance policy and prevent the organization from scrambling at the last minute to find a suitable replacement.

“I actually think that’s a good idea,” admitted Beltran. “It makes sense to have someone on deck and ready to go. It’s ridiculous to have an entire card canceled where everyone loses their paychecks and having it fall on Jon Jones and Dan Henderson’s back. Everyone is quick to hate on Jon, myself included, but the fact of the matter is Henderson held on to that secret too long. But it is what it is at this point.”

This Saturday the UFC invades Toronto, Canada and for the first time in over a year they are showcasing a card with two title fights scheduled. UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will defend his belt against Vitor Belfort, Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson will battle to determine the first ever UFC Flyweight Champion and in a middleweight showdown Michael Bisping takes on “The All-American” Brian Stann. Beltran gave us his thoughts on all three bouts.

“For starters I think that the flyweight championship is going to be a real awesome fight,” Beltran offered. “I think that Benavidez is a little bit better in every aspect to be honest with you. I think Johnson has some great, dynamic striking and some phenomenal wrestling, but I think Joe is just a step ahead of him. I think it’ll go all five rounds, but I see Benavidez taking it.”

“With Bisping and Stann, I don’t know, that’s going to be a tough one because Stann has shown he is improving with each fight. When I watched Bisping fight Chael Sonnen it changed my opinion of him. I was able to see it live after waking up from being knocked out by Lavar Johnson! Bisping is nuts and I think he takes it by unanimous decision.”

“I’ve been a big fan of Belfort’s for a long time, but I see Jones taking out another old lion. Jones is at that point right now where he is facing everyone who is sort of entering the twilight of their career. It’s perfect timing for him as he can come in new, fresh and dynamic and just blow through all of these guys. There’s going to have to be another Jon Jones, someone we haven’t even heard of, to come in here and smash him. I don’t see anybody except for my boy Alexander Gustafsson, who could be the guy to do it. Not a lot of people know about Alex, but he could be the guy who gets the job done. Right now, I don’t see any of the established veterans beating Jones.”

Speaking of Gustafsson he is scheduled to fight former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC on Fox 5 in December. Rua is coming off a fourth round TKO victory over Brendon Vera, another one of Beltran’s teammates at Alliance. Beltran believes Rua is in for a rude awakening.
“Honestly, I think Alex will kill him,” said Beltran. “If Shogun comes in aggressive, Alex will KO him in the first round. If Shogun tries to be a bit more cerebral in his approach I think he will just prolong the inevitable. We are just barely starting to see Alex’s full potential, this is coming from someone who has to fight him on a daily basis when he’s in America and it sucks!”

“I told my coach Eric Del Fierro that I was really training for the time when the Mauler comes back because I don’t want to be out of shape and get my ass whooped. Sparring with him is a lot of fun, but at the same time it’s not fun at all. It’s great training, but if you’re not minding your P’s and Q’s you’ll get put on your butt real quick.”

The fans really respect Beltran for his ability to take punishment as well as he can hand it out. He developed a solid chin at a very young age when he was forced to face older opponents when he began boxing because he was bigger than the other kids his age.

“I’ve always had a good chin, I was really big growing up and I started boxing when I was 10,” Beltran stated. “They made me box kids that were like 15 because I was so big and I got used to getting cracked by teenagers when I was just a kid. When I was a teenager they had me facing adults and I’ve been used to taking heavy shots. I’m sure it won’t be so good when I get older, but I’ve been hit with objects during street fights and it wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“I’ve got some funny stories about some of the street fights I’ve been in. One night me and this girl were walking home from a bar and were going to my friend’s apartment which was in walking distance from the bar. We had stopped to get some burritos and started walking when I saw my friend arguing with two guys in the street.”

“So I walked up and didn’t say anything, I was minding my own business eating my burrito when one of the guys looked at me and said what the f**k are you going to do fat boy? I dropped my burrito, hit him once and he was out. The girl that was with him looks at him and says Oh My God M****r F****r, not again you idiot! I do have to say I haven’t had one street fight since I began competing professionally.”

Fans of Dominick Cruz were saddened when he was forced out of his rubber match with Urijah Faber a few months back. A torn ACL can take anywhere from 9-18 months depending on the severity of the injury and how hard the patient is willing to work. Considering Cruz relies heavily on speed and foot movement he will want to be absolutely sure he is 100% when he returns to face interim champ Renan Barao.

“I think that he will break records in terms of how fast he comes back from an ACL injury,” said The Mexicutioner. “He’s looking great, he hasn’t been sparring or grappling, but he looks phenomenal as far as his rehab exercises are concerned. He’s progressing at a ridiculous rate and I would say he’ll be back by mid 2013. He’s being smart about it because it’s easy to reinjure that type of injury. He’s been stir crazy because he’s a workaholic and addicted to training. He’s literally driving himself nuts!”

The post Joey Beltran Talks Alexander Gustafsson, Dominick Cruz and UFC 152 appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by Jamie Penick

Saturday’s UFC 152 event will feature the first-ever Flyweight Championship bout, as former Bantamweight Title challengers Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson square off in the co-main event in Toronto. Having faced and defeated both competitors, perhaps there’s no better fighter to comment on the bout than UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz.

The UFC sought him out for comment on the fight ahead of Saturday’s event in Toronto, and Cruz is excited to see how both fighters perform at their more natural weight class after giving him tough fights at 135 lbs.

“I can’t wait see to see more of these guys in the division were they operate at 100%,: said Cruz. “I’ve fought both guys and they pushed me very hard, but I had the benefit of being significantly bigger than them. Skill for skill, both of them are right there with very best fighters in the world and now the new flyweight division allows them to fight to the best of their abilities.”

“As the first ever UFC bantamweight champion, I know the pride they will fight with to because the first ever UFC flyweight champion. Being the first ever champion in the weight category is history, everyone who ever holds the belt in the next 20, 30, 100 years will be following you. I expect them to fight their hearts out to put their name down as the George Washington of 125 lbs.”

Cruz sees different advantages for each fighter against the other, giving Benavidez an edge in power punching, but thinks he’ll need to combat a relentless pace from “Mighty Mouse” in order to pull it out.

“Benavidez needs to use his wrestling much more than he has in the past because DJ will be ready for the power strikes and he will need to keep DJ guessing,” Cruz said. “But wrestling isn’t the entire answer to DJ’s speed and movement. Even though I used wrestling against DJ, the guy is not easy to wrestle – the reason I was successful was because with my height and reach I knew he would have to rush in and that opened up takedown opportunities.”

“Benavidez doesn’t have the height advantage over DJ that I did,” Cruz continued, “so he has to mix it up, right from the start. DJ is so talented and so fast and you cannot allow him to dictate the pace and rhythm. Joseph is as fast a striker as DJ, but he’s not as quick with his footwork or in the scramble. Joseph has a wider stance because he needs that base to get full power into his punches. He hits very hard even at 135lbs and you’ve seen, at 125 lbs, he’s a huge puncher.”

“If I absolutely had to choose a winner I would go with Benavidez inside the distance but, once we get past round two, I think DJ will take over the fight and he could win this on points.”

Penick’s Analysis: Cruz is an extremely intelligent fighter, and with the knowledge he has of both fighters from firsthand experience, it’s very interesting to hear how he sees the matchup. He points out some of the key issues facing Benavidez against Johnson, primarily in the wrestling game and the fact that he won’t have much of a height advantage over Johnson. This will be an intriguing style matchup, because both fighters have good wrestling games, but it’s Benavidez who is a proven finisher on the feet and on the ground. We’ve seen his power translate well to the change in weight classes already, and we’ll see how Johnson can handle that come Saturday night.

The post UFC Champ Dominick Cruz breaks down UFC 152′s Benavidez-Johnson Flyweight Title bout appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article By Michael Pepper

UFC bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz has revealed that he doesn’t consider interim title holder at 135 pounds, Renan Barao to be a true champion despite the serious injury that’s left him on the shelf for around eighteen months, adding he needs to fight him first to legitimise any position.

Speaking via UFC.com, Cruz said:

“I tip my hat to Barao for a great performance that night, and I take nothing from him, but until he fights me, he’s not the true champion. That’s just the way it is, and everybody knows that. I’m not taking away from the performance that he had, but that was for the number one contender spot; that wasn’t for the championship. He’s done a good job to get there, but when he fights me, he’ll get to see what it’s like to fight for a championship belt. All I can do is sit back and wait – get my knee better, perfect what I’m doing, and stay mentally sharp. Him beating that guy that he beat, it was good for the division. Out with the old, in with the new.”

Cruz will now be on the sidelines until early 2013 and was forced to watch his bitter rival, Urijah Faber compete for an interim title at UFC 149 on July 21st in Calgary, Alberta, Canada against Brazilian stand-out, Renan Barao. The Brazilian came out on top and it’s yet to be seen whether he’ll defend his title in the meantime or not. Stay tuned to MMABay for more on this and more as we get it.

The post Dominick Cruz on Renan Barao: “He’s not the true champion until he fights me” appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

By Dana Becker

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is listening to his doctor when it comes to rehabbing his injured knee.

Cruz, who prefers to go 100-percent at everything he does, is taking it slow in working his way back to fighting inside the Octagon.

“If I tried to put 100-percent effort into my training right now, I’d blow my knee out,” said Cruz, in an interview with the UFC’s website. “Right now, being a professional is about staying calm, staying very patient and letting the process take its course.”

Cruz was set to face Urijah Faber earlier this year, but he went down with the injury and was forced to the sidelines for the first time in his career. Renan Barao went on to win the interim UFC title from Faber, setting up a future match with Cruz in the process.

“The division is developing and the UFC altogether is growing,” Cruz said. “There are more fights, and, as a result, they’re able to bring in more fighters. The level of competition just keeps rising.”

The post Dominick Cruz Making Sure To Take Right Approach To Rehab appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Articulo por E. SPENCER KYTE

Ya han visto a Eric Del Fierro, ya sea como asistente de entrenador en The Ultimate Fighter 15 o en la esquina de una cantidad de estrellas en ascenso del UFC, que incluyen al campeón de peso gallo Dominick Cruz, Phill Davis, Brandon Vera y Alex Gustafsson. Ahora, conozcan al entrenador principal en Alliance MMA, uno de los mejores gimnasios en el deporte.

UFC: ¿Cuál es su título oficial y cómo surgió Alliance MMA?

Del Fierro: Soy el director de entrenamiento en Alliance MMA. Diría que un cuarto de los muchachos que están en el equipo profesional oficial han estado conmigo desde antes de que existiera Alliance MMA. Siempre fuimos parte del mismo equipo y soy entrenador desde hace 12 ó 13 años. Ya hace una década que estoy con Brandon (Vera) y el equipo ha crecido desde entonces.

(El campeón de peso gallo del UFC) Dominick (Cruz) está conmigo desde hace seis años, creo que Phil Davis ha estado aquí alrededor de cuatro años y medio, así que ahora tenemos un grupo grande y sigue creciendo. El gimnasio en sí existe desde hace cinco años.

UFC: En este deporte hay muchos gimnasios y equipos talentosos que a veces no se escuchan nombrar. Ustedes están comenzando a atraer mucha atención. ¿Creen que es un poco tarde si considera el éxito que han tenido y la calidad de deportistas prometedores que forman parte del equipo Alliance?

Del Fierro: Creo que el tema de la exposición es algo por lo que debo asumir responsabilidad yo, porque soy introvertido. Nunca me gustó la atención. Soy de perfil bajo. Quienes me conocen te dirán que me he abierto entre los últimos tres y cinco años, y probablemente se deba al trabajo con mi psiquiatra (risas), pero soy muy tímido.

Soy entrenador desde hace más de diez años y hace aproximadamente el mismo tiempo que tengo peleadores en los combates principales del UFC, y nadie sabía mucho sobre mí o sobre Alliance MMA. Creo que en los últimos dos o tres años he sido más abierto a entrevistas y a exponer el gimnasio y lo que hacemos aquí. Creo que va de la mano con el negocio real del mismo. Cuando comencé a ser más agradable con los medios, decidí que sería más sencillo aceptar a cualquier medio que se acercara.

UFC: Trabajas con algunos peleadores muy talentosos, Dominick Cruz probablemente sea el de más alto perfil del grupo. ¿Cómo viene su rehabilitación, qué espera para el 2013 y cuál es su comportamiento ahora?

Del Fierro: Está mucho mejor. En ese episodio de The Ultimate Fighter (en el que anunciaron que Renan Barao se enfrentaría a Urijah Faber), lo que no sabe la gente es que (Dominick) ya estaba lesionado desde hacía una semana, pero creo que la realidad no lo golpeó hasta el día en que Dana (White) anunció que habría un cinturón interino. Estos muchachos se enorgullecen por los títulos (por conservar los cinturones del campeonato, y Dominick es muy orgulloso) y creo que le afectó saber que habría un cinturón interino. Se lo tomó muy mal y las semanas siguientes fueron muy difíciles para él.

Pero ahora está muy bien. La rehabilitación va muy bien; creo que ya hace ocho o nueve semanas que se operó, tal vez un poco más. Está bien. Tiene una venda más pequeña en lugar de una rodillera completa. Se mueve, la terapia física logra que haga más cosas. Está muy bien, se mantiene positivo y como grupo nos mantenemos positivos. Lo estoy involucrando más en el entrenamiento de los muchachos que se están preparando para las peleas; se dedica casi a tiempo completo a ayudarme a entrenar a estos muchachos y a estar más involucrado. Al mismo tiempo, lo mantenemos ocupado, lo hacemos viajar y mantenerse en contacto con sus seguidores.

UFC: ¿Es difícil mantenerlo en espera y asegurarse de que siga el programa de rehabilitación en lugar de exigirse demasiado para regresar?

Del Fierro: Hablamos mucho de eso, incluso antes de la cirugía, sobre cómo deberíamos tratar esto. Es una lesión tan grave que sólo hay una forma de rehabilitarse y parte de eso es no apresurarse a regresar al gimnasio y creer que cuando te sientes bien estás listo para volver. Es un error que muchos cometen con estas lesiones. La lesión está bien, estable, y piensas “bueno, voy a volver ya mismo porque me siento bien” y te vuelves a lesionar.

Todos se lo toman muy en serio y Dominick está muy concentrado en volver a la normalidad lentamente, según lo que recomienden el médico y el terapeuta.

UFC: ¿Hay alguna fecha estimada para su regreso el año próximo?

Del Fierro: No. Personalmente, el tiempo que espero (por el que me guío) es el promedio que lleva sanar estas lesiones. Independientemente de que el cuerpo de Dominick sane más rápido o más lento, le doy los nueve meses completos desde la fecha de la lesión.

Idealmente, me gustaría que vuelva a entrenar de lleno para Año Nuevo; no que vuelva a pelear necesariamente, pero que, al menos, entrene. Pero no depende de mí y todos sabemos que el médico y el terapeuta serán quienes tomen la decisión respecto a su regreso al entrenamiento.

UFC: Hablemos de otros muchachos del gimnasio, has mencionado que trabajas con Brandon Vera desde hace mucho tiempo. ¿Qué tan orgulloso de él te sentiste luego de esa pelea con “Shogun” en la que pareció darse cuenta de que no siempre en el pasado se había dado la mejor oportunidad para tener éxito?

Del Fierro: Estoy orgulloso de todos los muchachos, sin importar lo que pase. Entreno a estos muchachos por la pasión del deporte y sé que todos estamos aquí para lograr algo. Eso me enorgullece mucho y estos muchachos se enorgullecen de sus peleas.

Como cualquier otro atleta, es un proceso. Puede llevar entre seis meses y un año para formar a alguien y esté listo para un campeonato o puede llevar diez años; nunca sabes cuál es la curva de aprendizaje y cuánto tardarán en hacer el clic.

Cualquiera que haya entrenado con él, que haya formado parte de este equipo, conoce sus habilidades; sabe lo que puede hacer Brandon. Si Brandon se concentra, debería estar entre los mejores tres o mejores cinco, sin problemas. Brandon va a su propio ritmo: si quiere entrenar duro, lo hará y es nuestro trabajo motivarlo; pero en última instancia, llegado el momento de la pelea, quien está en la celda es él, nadie más. Lo que todos vieron en esa pelea es lo que ya sabíamos: tiene las habilidades y allí pertenece.

Fue una buena pelea para él y, en esta etapa de su carrera, sigue creciendo como peleador. Es raro decirlo porque todos lo han visto durante ocho, nueve, diez años, pero la verdad sigue creciendo; sigue madurando como peleador. Algunos maduran temprano, otros necesitan más tiempo; y Brandon es uno de esos muchachos que todavía sigue aprendiendo mucho de sí mismo dentro de la celda.

UFC: Has mencionado que a veces lleva seis meses o más, Phil Davis es alguien que obviamente progresó rápido y ha estado camino a convertirse en campeón. Tuvo un contratiempo frente a Rashad Evans en enero y una situación poco afortunada con Wagner Prado la última vez. ¿En qué punto de desarrollo y progreso se encuentra para convertirse en campeón?

Del Fierro: Phil Davis progresa a diario. Es un atleta muy, muy talentoso y lo que la gente no ve es que se llevó por delante el UFC en el primer año. Entrenó con nosotros y tuvo peleas de menor importancia antes de llegar al UFC durante aproximadamente diez meses previo a su primera pelea en el UFC.

Su primera pelea en el UFC fue frente a Brian Stann, quien había sido campeón de WEC, por lo que no era una pelea fácil. Entró, tomó el control y dejó las cosas en claro, y todos esperaban mucho de él. Desde ese momento, peleó cada ocho semanas el resto del año. Creo que libró un total de cinco peleas. Como sabes, tenemos un límite respecto a lo que podemos lograr en el aprendizaje (cuando peleas tan seguido). Lo único que hacíamos era mantenerlo preparado para las peleas y mantenerlo peleando. Básicamente, se entrenaba mientras peleaba.

La pelea con Rashad obviamente puso en evidencia algunas debilidades del juego de Phil y lo que hacíamos. Lo lográbamos gracias a todo su talento y habilidad para implementar planes de juego, y nos estaba funcionando. Rashad es talentoso y está en el deporte desde hace mucho, sabíamos que iba a ser un combate muy difícil. En ese momento, Phil recién se recuperaba de una lesión en la rodilla y no estaba al 100 %. Pero ahora tuvo tiempo para recuperarse de esa lesión en la rodilla y regresó para aprender (en lugar de prepararse para pelear) hizo un cambio muy positivo en su carrera. Espero que la próxima pelea y todo lo posterior sean geniales.

UFC: Uno de los muchachos que estuvo el primer año de Phil fue Alexander Gustafsson, quien luego te buscó para trabajar contigo. ¿Cuánto desarrollo has visto en Alex desde que comenzó a trabajar con él y qué tan brillante crees que es el futuro que le espera en la división de peso semipesado?

Del Fierro: El tema con estos muchachos (tanto Phil Davis como Alex Gustafsson) es que ambos ayudaron a desarrollar su juego. Alex era un golpeador de primer nivel cuando vino aquí y su debilidad era la lucha; lo opuesto a Phil Davis. Han ayudado a perfeccionar el juego del otro más de lo que creen.

Alex tiene mucho, mucho talento. Ha progresado mucho desde esa pelea con Phil; su lucha mejoró, su jiu-jitsu mejoró y tiene un talento tremendo con el que trabajar. El muchacho es grandioso. Tiene una gran pelea en diciembre contra “Shogun” (Rua) y creo que el público lo verá establecerse como uno de los mejores cinco de la división.

UFC: No eran amigos ni compañeros de equipo cuando pelearon la primera vez, pero ahora sí lo son. ¿Has hablado sobre una revancha potencial con ambos?

Del Fierro: Hablamos sobre lo básico. Ninguno de los muchachos en Alliance MMA tiene problemas para enfrentarse a un compañero si hay un cinturón en juego. Cruzaremos esa línea cuando se dé la situación pero, sí, hablamos sobre eso. Al mismo tiempo, el deporte es así y si todos quieren ser el mejor, tarde o temprano, es posible que se enfrenten entre sí.

UFC: Las lesiones han sido, sin dudas, uno de los temas más importantes del año y algo que ha afectado al equipo Alliance MMA. Como entrenador, ¿qué opinas sobre la causa de estas lesiones y crees hay alguna manera de evitar sucedan con tanta frecuencia?

Del Fierro: Creo que Dominick no podría haberlo dicho mejor en una entrevista cuando declaró: “para prepararte para una pelea, debes luchar día y noche en el gimnasio”. Es la verdad en lucha, es la verdad en jiu-jitsu y es la verdad en golpes. Como entrenadores, tenemos ciertas cosas en claro para intentar que estos muchachos lleguen a las peleas de la forma más segura posible.

Entrenan todo el año y, de alguna manera, el estrés de una pelea y la psicología de la pelea hacen que estos muchachos se lesionen durante el entrenamiento. Si piensas en estos muchachos, están aquí entrenando todo el día y toda la noche, luego les programan una pelea y a las seis semanas de entrenamiento, cuando faltan dos para la pelea, se lesionan. No hacen nada distinto a lo que hacen el resto del año, algunas veces es un accidente, otras veces se exigen demasiado. Por eso tenemos entrenadores que intentan atenuar estas circunstancias y esperamos no sucedan.

A los muchachos que participan de peleas principales, eventos principales, a veces les cancelamos el entrenamiento en vivo o live sparring porque sabemos son un poco más importantes para el evento. A los preliminares a veces les podemos exigir un poco más porque sabemos que Joe Silva los puede sustituir con más facilidad, pero en cuanto al evento principal, tenemos en cuenta algunas cosas para asegurarnos estén tan cuidados como sea posible y puedan participar de las peleas importantes porque así se ganan la vida.

UFC: ¿Quiénes son los menos conocidos de Alliance MMA que crees que no reciben la atención que deberían del público?

Del Fierro: Ahora tenemos algunas peleas seguidas en el UFC. Jeremy Stephens peleará a principios de octubre (UFC en FX 5). La semana siguiente, peleará Phil Davis (UFC 153). Luego, Alex Gustafsson (UFC en FOX 5), Phil De Fries nuevamente (UFC 155) y Ross Pearson. Estamos bastante ocupados. También tenemos a Vinc Pichel y Myles Jury de The Ultimate Fighter 15 que, esperamos, que se preparen para pelear pronto también.

Tenemos un equipo ocupado y muchas peleas que ansiamos. Con suerte, Danny Martínez también debutará en el UFC pronto.

The post El hombre detrás de Dominick Cruz appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

NEW content included for the first time!! Approved for 0.4 NSCA CEU’s! Get an exclusive inside look at how top UFC athletes prepare for a fight! This 4-hour interactive workshop is both lecture and hands-on and is designed to show you all phases of a complete strength & conditioning program for fighters.

WHERE:
Alliance Training Center
795 Third Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91910

WHEN:
Saturday October 6, 2012 11am to 3pm

WHO:
Coaches, trainers, fighters, fans

COST:
Early Bird Rate – $99!
(On site registration is $129)
Registration includes DVD, manual, and t-shirt. These products alone are worth the price!
*The NSCA Certification Executive Council approved 0.4 CEUs for CSCS and NSCA-CPT certified individuals attending this event*

REGISTER TODAY!
Use the PayPal link below or connect with me at Doug@DBStrength.com. Limited space!

Get an exclusive inside look at how top UFC athletes prepare for a fight!

This 4-hour interactive workshop is both lecture and hands-on and is designed to show you
all phases of a complete strength & conditioning program for fighters.

Topics Include:

• Introduce the “Critical Components” used in the DB Strength Training System
• Proper Dynamic Warm-Up – Focus on injury prevention, range of motion, foam rolling, activation, and more
• Fighter-specific Mobility and Flexibility Movements – Discuss assessment protocols and the importance of joint integrity work
• Medicine Ball Power Movements – Experience my “go to” movements and drills
• Strength Training – Reveal the “method to the madness”. Discuss periodization, circuit training, frequency, overtraining concerns, and more
• Core Development – Sample the drills and tools I use with top, UFC athletes on a weekly basis to help strengthen their core muscles
• Metabolic Conditioning – Breakdown common circuit layouts and talk about methods I like, methods I dislike, and the ones I use frequently
• Proper Cool-Down Techniques – Talk about an overlooked aspect of fitness and why I always incorporate it into our sessions
• The value of Recovery – We will cover the importance of rest and share a number of recovery techniques
• Nutrition – Examine macronutrients and what foods are a must for MMA athletes
• Challenges – Learn how to deal with injuries, tough travel schedules, and short notice fights. We will analyze case scenarios to ensure we are all on the same page and getting our fighters in the best condition of their lives
• And much, much more!

The post STRENGTH & CONDITIONING WORKSHOP At Alliance Training Center in San Diego appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article By E. Spencer Kyte

Meet Eric Del Fierro, coach of Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis, Alex Gustafsson, Brandon Vera, and many more of the UFC’s best…

You’ve seen Eric Del Fierro before, whether as an assistant coach on The Ultimate Fighter 15 or in the corner of a growing number of UFC stars, including bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis, Brandon Vera, and Alex Gustafsson. Now meet the head coach at Alliance MMA, one of the sport’s top gyms.

UFC: What is your official title and how did Alliance MMA come together?

Del Fierro: I am the head coach at Alliance MMA. I would say a quarter of the guys that are on the official pro team have been with me since before Alliance MMA existed as a gym. We’ve always been a part of the same team, and I’ve been coaching for 12 or 13 years. I’ve been with Brandon (Vera) for a decade now, and the team has grown since then.

(UFC bantamweight champion) Dominick (Cruz) has been with me for six years, I think Phil Davis has been here for four-and-a-half years or so, so we have a big group of guys now, and it just keeps growing. The gym itself has existed now for about five years.

In this sport, there are a bunch of talented gyms and teams that we sometimes don’t hear a lot about. You guys are starting to get that attention now. Does it feel a little overdue based on the success you’ve had and the quality prospects that are part of the Alliance team?

I think part of the exposure is more to blame on me in the sense that I’m an introvert. I’ve never really liked attention. I’m real quiet. Some people that know me will tell you I’ve opened up in the last three-to-five years, and that’s probably from working with my shrink (laughs), but I’m a real shy guy.

I’ve coaching for 10-years-plus and I’ve had guys on the UFC main cards for about that long, and nobody really knew much about Alliance MMA or myself for that matter. I think this last two years, three years I’ve been more open to interviews, and more open to giving exposure to the gym and what we’re doing here. I think it goes hand-in-hand with the actual business of the gym. As I got friendly to media, I decided it was easier to go ahead and accept whatever media was coming our way.

There are some very talented fighters that you work with, Dominick Cruz probably being the most high profile of the group. How is his rehab coming along, what’s the outlook for 2013, and how is his demeanor right now?

He’s doing way better now. On that episode of The Ultimate Fighter (where they announced Renan Barao was stepping in to face Urijah Faber), what people don’t know is that (Dominick) had been hurt for about a week at that time, but I don’t think reality hit him until that day when Dana (White) announced that there was going to be an interim belt. These guys pride themselves on these titles – holding these championship belts, and Dominick’s a real prideful guy – and I think it affected him when he found out there was going to be an interim belt. He took it real hard, and the next few weeks were a real hard time for him.

But now he’s doing great. Rehab is going great; I think he’s eight or nine weeks post-op, maybe a little longer. He’s doing good. He’s on a smaller brace now instead of a full knee brace. He’s moving around, his physical therapy is making him do more. He’s doing great, he’s staying positive, and as a camp we’re staying positive. I’m involving him more with our coaching of the guys we have now getting ready for fights; he’s taken almost a full-time role helping me coach these guys, and just being more involved. At the same time, we’re keeping him busy – keeping him out traveling and keeping him in touch with his fans.

How hard is it to keep him reined in and make sure that he sticks to his rehab schedule versus pushing too hard to get back?

We’ve talked extensively about that even before the surgery – how this had to be treated. It’s such a severe injury that there is only one way to rehab it, and part of it was not rushing back into the gym and thinking that when it feels great you’re ready to move. That’s a mistake a lot of guys do with these injuries. The injury feels great, it feels stable, and you think, “Well I’m going to jump back into it right now because I feel good” and then they get re-injured.

Everybody is taking it 100 percent serious, and Dominick is real focused on bringing it back to normal slowly based on whatever the doctor and the physical therapist recommend.

Is there a target date for when he would be ready to come back next year?

No. Personally, the time I’m looking at – what I’m going by – is the average (amount of time) these injuries take to heal. Whether Dominick’s body heals faster or slower, I’m still giving him the whole nine months from the date of injury.

Ideally, I’d like to see him back in full training by the New Year; not necessarily booked to fight, but at least training. But it’s not my call, and we all acknowledge that it will be the doctor and the physical therapist that make the decision as to when he’s ready to get back to training.

Switching to some of the other guys in the gym, you mentioned you’ve been working with Brandon Vera for a long time. How proud of him were you coming out of that fight with “Shogun” where he seemed to have a revelation that he hadn’t always given himself the best opportunity to succeed in the past?

I’m proud of all my guys, no matter what. I coach these guys for the passion of the sport and knowing that we’re all here to accomplish something. I take great pride in that, and these guys take pride in their fights.

Like any other athlete, it’s a process. It could take six months to a year to create somebody that’s ready for a championship or it could take ten years; you just never know what the learning curve is and how long it’s going to take to get these guys to click.

Brandon – anybody that has trained with him, anybody that’s part of the team here knows his skill set; they know what Brandon can do. A focused Brandon should be top 3, top 5, no problem. Brandon kind of marches to the beat of his own drum: if he wants to train hard, he’ll train hard, and it’s our job to motivate him, but ultimately, when it’s fight time, it’s him in the cage and nobody else. What everybody saw in that fight is what we’ve already known: he’s got the skills and he belongs in there.

It was a good fight for him, and at this stage in his career, he’s still growing as a fighter. It’s weird to say because everyone has seen him for eight, nine, ten years now, but the truth of the matter is that he’s still growing; he’s still maturing as a fighter. Some guys mature early, some guys take a little longer, and Brandon is one of those guys that are still learning a lot about himself inside the cage.

You mentioned that sometimes it takes six months and sometimes it takes longer, Phil Davis is obviously somebody that progressed quickly and has been on that path towards being a champion. He had a setback against Rashad Evans in January and an unfortunate situation with Wagner Prado last time out. Where is he at in his development and progression towards being a champion?

Phil Davis is a work-in-progress. He’s a very, very talented athlete, and what people don’t realize is that he took the UFC by storm the first year in. He trained with us, and had smaller fights before getting to the UFC for ten months or so before getting his first UFC fight.

His first UFC fight was against Brian Stann, who had been a world champion in the WEC, so it wasn’t an easy fight. He went in there, dominated, and made a statement, and everybody expected big things from him. From that point forward, he fought every eight weeks the rest of the year. I think he fought a total of five fights. As you know, there is only so much we can do on the learning side of things (when you’re fighting that frequently). All we were doing was keeping him prepared for his fights and keeping him fighting. It was pretty much on-the-job training.

The Rashad fight obviously exposed a few weaknesses in Phil’s game and what we were doing. We were getting away with a lot of talent and his ability to implement game plans, and it had worked for us. Rashad is talented and he’s been around the game a very long time, and we knew we were going to have a very tough fight. Phil was coming off a knee injury at the time, and it wasn’t 100 percent what he should have shown. But now that he’s had time to rehab that knee injury and get back to learning again – as opposed to just getting ready for fights – it has been great for Phil’s career. I expect this coming fight and everything after that to be great.

One of the guys who was a part of that first year run for Phil was Alexander Gustafsson, who then came to you and wanted to work with you. How much development have you seen in Alex since you’ve started working with him, and how bright of a future do you think he has in the light heavyweight division?

The thing about these guys – both Phil Davis and Alex Gustafsson – is that they’ve both helped develop their game. Alex was a world-class striker when he came here and wrestling was his weakness, and it was vice versa for Phil Davis. They’ve helped sharpen each other’s game more than they even know yet.

Alex is very, very talented. He’s come a long way since that fight with Phil; his wrestling has come along, his jiu-jitsu has come along, and he’s just a tremendous talent to work with. The kid is awesome. He’s got a great fight coming up in December against “Shogun” (Rua) and I think people are going to see him establish himself as one of the top 5 guys in the division.

They weren’t friends and teammates when they fought the first time, but they are now. Have you had those conversations with both guys about a potential rematch?

We’ve covered those bases. All the guys at Alliance MMA have no problem fighting each other if and when there is a belt on the line. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, but yes, we’ve addressed that situation. At the same time, this is the sport, and if they’re all trying to be the best, sooner or later they might have to face each other.

Injuries have obviously been one of the biggest stories of the year, and one that has impacted the Alliance MMA team. As a coach, what’s your take on the cause of these injuries and is there a way to keep them from happening as frequently?

I think Dominick said it best in one of his interviews when he said, “In order to get ready for a fight you have to fight day in and day out in the gym.” It’s the truth in wrestling, it’s the truth in jiu-jitsu, and it’s the truth in striking. As coaches, we have things in place for trying to get these guys to their fights as safely as possible.

These guys train year-round, and somehow, the stress of a fight and the psychology of the fight causes these guys to gain an injury during a camp. If you think about these guys – they’re here training day in and day out, then they booked to fight, and six weeks into the camp, two weeks from the fight, they get injured. It’s not anything different from what they’ve been doing all year – sometimes it’s just an accident or these guys pushing too hard. That’s why we have coaches trying to mitigate these things, and hoping that they don’t happen.

With our guys who are main card, main event guys, there are certain times that we’ll shut down the live training or the live sparring because we know they’re worth a little bit more to the card. Prelims we can push a little bit harder sometimes because we know they’re easier for Joe Silva to replace, but come main event time, we have some things in place to make sure that these guys are as safe as possible so we can get them to their big fights because this is how they make their living.

Who are the lesser-known guys or guys that don’t get as much attention that people should be looking out for from Alliance MMA?

We’ve got some fights coming up back-to-back in the UFC right now. We’ve got Jeremy Stephens in early October (UFC on FX 5). The following week, we’ve got Phil Davis (UFC 153). After that, it’s Alex Gustafsson (UFC on FOX 5), Phil De Fries again (UFC 155), and Ross Pearson. We’re staying pretty busy. We also have Vinc Pichel and Myles Jury from The Ultimate Fighter 15 who will hopefully be getting ready for fights here soon as well.

We’ve got a busy squad and a lot of fights to look forward to. Hopefully Danny Martinez will be making his UFC debut soon too.

Follow Eric Del Fierro (@EricDelFierro) and Alliance MMA (@AllianceMMA) on Twitter.

The post Eric Del Fierro – The Man Behind Some of The UFC’s Top Fighters appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by: James Gregg Mixed Martial Arts Insider

Welcome to MMA Insider, a new, weekly sports column on mixed martial arts in San Diego. The need for this beat has been clear to the fan and fighter community in this city for years. For those who are unfamiliar with MMA, allow me to make a case for San Diego as a major hotbed for international mixed martial arts.

But don’t take my word for it.

“Pound for pound, San Diego goes toe to toe with any major city that has mixed martial arts. The amount of people that come out of there, train out of there, and the amount of gyms that are down there, staggering.”

That’s what Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White had to say on the phone last week.

MMA has been widely accepted as the fastest growing sport on the planet. Just a few years ago, the UFC averaged 12-14 events in a year. Now, Zuffa, the parent company of UFC and Strikeforce, run around 40 per year.

To even the casual observer, San Diego seems to have martial arts academies and MMA gyms on every corner. While some serve as a fitness destination for non-fighters, the pro ranks are filled with fighters with San Diego connections. There are at least a dozen San Diego-based fighters currently on the roster of the UFC and another half-dozen for Strikeforce.

I say at least, because that doesn’t take into account the transient fighters that use San Diego as a regional base for training camps or that come in to help other fighters out. Case in point, former interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and his twin brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira opened Black House Team Nogueira Gym on Miramar Road to serve as their No. 1 base in the United States. The legendary Brazilian duo also owns a gym in Rio de Janeiro.

When they have training camp, teammates Anderson Silva, Junior Dos Santos and Lyoto Machida come to San Diego to train with them. Ever heard of them? Silva is the UFC welterweight champion and is commonly referred to as the top pound-for-pound fighter … in history. Dos Santos is the current UFC heavyweight titleholder, while Machida is the former light-heavyweight UFC titleholder and No. 1 contender to regain the belt from Jon Jones.

“I first (came) here for vacation,” Rogerio “Little Nog” Nogueira said. “Like Rio de Janeiro, people here love sports, love surfing, they love staying in good shape. I saw many black belts here and I thought ‘San Diego is a special place.’ I think it is the best place in America to live.”

Speaking of UFC champions, Chula Vista’s Alliance Training Center is home to bantamweight king Dominick Cruz. The gym, owned by UFC juggernaut Brandon Vera, is home to team Alliance MMA, led by Vera, Cruz, top contender Phil Davis, and contenders Joey Beltran and Phil De Fries.

The Arena MMA on Point Loma is home to arguably the best women’s fighter in history, Cris “Cyborg” Santos. Currently serving a suspension for a failed drug test, look for Cyborg to aim for regaining her title in early 2013.

The post San Diego A Hot Spot For Top MMA Action *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article By by Matt Erickson

Dominick Cruz admits a jump to featherweight might be in his future. But it’s not going to come anytime soon.

Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), the UFC’s bantamweight champion, is on the sidelines for the foreseeable future – though he would like to be back in the first part of 2013.

When he returns from his knee surgery rehab, he has a likely date with Renan Barao (28-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), the interim titleholder. And while he admits one day moving to 145 pounds might be a necessity, he has plenty of business left to conduct at 135.

“Right now, I can make 135,” Cruz recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “I’ve been cutting weight for so long. It always sucks. It’s never fun. Never. There’s never an easy time to cut weight.”

But just because it “sucks” and isn’t easy doesn’t mean it’s not working for the champion. In fact, Cruz said in some ways, that weight cut is as much a part of fighting for him as making the walk to the octagon.

“What a lot of people don’t understand about me is I thrive off that pain,” Cruz said. “That’s my pre-fight ritual. If I don’t cut a large amount of weight, I feel lost. I’ve fought three or four fights at 155. But my distinct process, (135 is) where my body works the best. I’m happy at 135 right now. Right now, I’m looking at the future of my career at 135. I have a couple more fights before I can start talking about switching weight classes.”

Cruz, who turned 27 this past March, said that as he gets older, it may be harder for him to make the cut to bantamweight. And then, he said, he can start thinking about featherweight.

But even if he beats Barao and then continues to clean out the rest of the division, he doesn’t see himself getting bored at bantamweight any time soon.

“Is anybody ever really satisfied? I’m far from satisfied, and I always have something to prove to myself and everyone else,” Cruz said. “There’s always haters and doubters, and I love to prove them wrong. I do this because I love it. I’m fighting for something new every time I go out there. I’ve fought four times for the belt and I’ve held the 135-pound title for two years. You can’t have too many title (defenses).

“So I’m far from satisfied, and I have a long time left in this sport.”

The post UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz Has No Imminent Plans To Jump To 145 appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by fueltv

UFC Ultimate Insider goes inside Alliance MMA, home to UFC stars Brandon Vera and Phil Davis. Both fighters are getting themselves prepared to do battle at UFC On FOX and the training has never been tougher.

The post Allied Assault: Inside Brandon Vera’s MMA Palace appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Written by Spencer Lazara

Eric Del Fierro, head trainer and manager of many of the guys down at Alliance MMA in Chula Vista, CA, talks about Dominick Cruz’s recovery from ACL surgery, as well as his guys with upcoming fights including Phil Davis, Brandon Vera, Phil De Fries, Danny Martinez and Eric Uresk.

The post Eric Del Fierro of Alliance MMA talks Dominick Cruz recovery, Vera vs Shogun & much more appeared first on Alliance Training Center.