Since losing the lightweight title to Anthony Pettis in August 2013, Benson Henderson has only competed once, picking up a controversial decision win over Josh Thomson.
On Saturday, Henderson will look to pick up a more conclusive victory over the up-a…
Since losing the lightweight title to Anthony Pettis in August 2013, Benson Henderson has only competed once, picking up a controversial decision win over Josh Thomson.
On Saturday, Henderson will look to pick up a more conclusive victory over the up-and-coming RustamKhabilov. Having only lost to Pettis since joining the UFC roster, Henderson remains one of the best in the 155-pound class, but he’ll need to make some serious waves to earn a third fight with the champion.
With wins in his first three UFC bouts, Khabilov has quickly become a contender in the lightweight division. The Russian’s bout with Henderson this weekend will truly test his ability to compete with the elite in the weight class, though.
As this important 155-pound matchup approaches, here is a closer look at how Henderson and Khabilov match up in all areas.
UFC Fight Night 41 in Berlin, Germany and The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 finales are in the book. The main card results are as follows:
The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 Finale:
Stipe Miocic def. Fabio Maldonado, TKO (Round 1, 0:35)
Antonio Carlos J…
UFC Fight Night 41 in Berlin, Germany and The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 finales are in the book. The main card results are as follows:
The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 Finale:
Stipe Miocic def. Fabio Maldonado, TKO (Round 1, 0:35)
Antonio Carlos Jr. def. Vitor Miranda, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Gegard Mousasi def. Mark Munoz, submission (Round 1, 3:57)
C.B. Dollaway def. Francis Carmont, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Sean Strickland def. Luke Barnatt, split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Niklas Backstrom def. Tom Niinimaki, submission (Round 1, 4:15)
Next up? The surprisingly stacked UFC Fight Night 42.
Headlined by a lightweight tilt between Benson Henderson and Rustam Khabilov, and backed up with a bunch of really interesting fights in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions, there is a lot on the line for many fighters here. Title ramifications, legacies, job security…
There is also a lot to talk about, which is something I haven’t said about a Fight Night card for a long while now.
So what burning questions are there heading into next week? Find out right here!
Sometimes in sports, good teams get trapped.
They’ll play three games in four nights, win the first two against the best teams in the league and lose the third to the worst team in the league because they think the hardest work is already done.
It happ…
Sometimes in sports, good teams get trapped.
They’ll play three games in four nights, win the first two against the best teams in the league and lose the third to the worst team in the league because they think the hardest work is already done.
It happens all the time. It might have happened last night. It might be in the process of happening this week.
And the fact of the matter is, if he’s not careful, it could be waiting to happen to Benson Henderson in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 7.
That night, Henderson will headline UFC Fight Night 42 against RustamKhabilov, an unheralded Russian upstart presently ranked No. 11 in the lightweight division but with skills to suggest much greater things are coming.
Henderson is the big dog in that fight, Khabilov is the fringe top-10 guy getting a crack at him, and it could be bad news for the former champion if the stars align a certain way.
In his past five outings, Henderson fought Josh Thomson, Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez, Nate Diaz and Frankie Edgar. Four of those were title fights, and the five opponents presently account for 92 career wins between them. There is also the immeasurable cache of fighting such an impressive list of names consecutively.
Aside from Pettis, Henderson bettered them all.
Conversely, Khabilov is a quiet 17-1 with his only win of consequence coming over Jorge Masvidal. It’s not that he’s not good; it’s that no one has been paying attention to how good he is—certainly not as much as they’ve been paying attention to how good Henderson or his recent list of foes is, anyway.
If Henderson is sleeping on the Russian in similar fashion, there’s a very good chance he’ll be rudely awakened when they meet.
That’s the design of the trap in sports. The better team is taking a little nap, trying to find an off-night on a work night, and it loses. Only in that case, they have a dozen or more teammates to share the grief with, and there’s another game a few days later to help them get over it.
In MMA, you’re out there alone, and you have to live with getting caught in that trap alone, too. It’s your jaw getting broken, your body getting thrown around the cage all night or your paycheck getting cut in half by not landing the win money.
Plus, you get months to think about it instead of days.
Doesn’t sound so hot, does it?
For his part, though, Henderson seems to have the focus and fortitude to overcome such a trap. While many fighters will claim all opponents to be created equal, to claim they’d never look past the fight in front of them, Henderson seems to be one to actually live those words.
His frenetic approach to combat notwithstanding, he’s intelligently measured when it suits him.
“It’s the same approach for all the fights,” he told UFC Tonight in the lead-up to the Thomson fight. “There’s a lot of extra hoopla every fight – this is the first time for main event or the first time on a main card, whatever. But you’ve got to go out there, have a good performance and get your hand raised. It’s the same fight as all the other fights in your career.”
That attitude will serve him well with Khabilov staring across the cage in ABQ.
There’s an ongoing Russian invasion in MMA, a generation of men from eastern Europe walking the trail that FedorEmelianenko blazed. They’re the perfect athletes for the sport—technically masterful with a fearlessness and nastiness that blends to create the type of sporting violence fans are starved for.
The only problem is, with few exceptions, they’re unknown at this point. Khabilov largely is, at least.
However, if Henderson isn’t careful, that could change pretty quickly, and it could change on his watch. It’s simply a matter of how aware he is of the trap he’s in, and what he does to prepare for it.
The lightweight division is one of the deepest collectives under the UFC banner and Khabib Nurmagomedov has carved out his place as a major player.
The undefeated Dagestan native had a solid amount of buzz surrounding his promotional debut back in 2012…
The lightweight division is one of the deepest collectives under the UFC banner and Khabib Nurmagomedov has carved out his place as a major player.
The undefeated Dagestan native had a solid amount of buzz surrounding his promotional debut back in 2012 and has spent the past two years turning that hype into a legitimate case for title contention. The 25-year-old has found victory in all six of his showings inside the Octagon and put on impressive—and in most cases dominant—performances against a cast of seasoned veterans.
While “The Eagle” has continued to show progress in his striking attack, it is his grappling that has given the opposition fits. Nurmagomedov’s wrestling and full-out tenacity have proven to be overwhelming and a difficult puzzle to solve inside the cage, and those skills have been directly responsible for his three most recent wins.
The AKA-trained fighter set a UFC record for takedowns when he rag-dolled knockout artist Abel Trujillo, then defeated Strikeforce veteran Pat Healy and rising contender Rafael dos Anjos, respectively. Nurmagomedov outworked “RDA” when the two met last month at UFC on Fox 11, and the lopsided unanimous-decision victory has him on the cusp of much bigger things in the 155-pound fold.
That said, the upper tier of the lightweight division is currently in the midst of a “stop and go” phase where traffic toward a title shot is concerned, and the talented young Russian is most likely going to have to play the “wait and see” game in order to determine who his next challenger will be.
Nevertheless, Nurmagomedov is certainly within striking distance of earning a title opportunity, but he will need at least one more big win before a title shot materializes.
Let’s take a look at the potential options for Nurmagomedov’s net bout.
Winner of Benson Henderson vs. Rustam Khabilov
The lightweight title won’t come into play until the end of the year and that has left a lot of room for the next title challenger to emerge. Champion Anthony Pettis will attempt to defend his strap against Gilbert Melendez in December, and that has created a huge lane for one of the fighters at the elite level of the division to prove they are more deserving than the rest of the pack.
The current scenario is such that it is going to take a few solid victories to earn the coveted title opportunity. The upcoming matchup between Benson Henderson and Rustam Khabilov will certainly play a crucial role in that picture. The former lightweight champion and the surging Russian talent will square off in the main event of Fight Night 42 when the UFC visits Albuquerque for the first time on June 7.
The MMA Lab fighter has been one of the most prominent fighters on the lightweight roster since the WEC merged into the UFC in 2011.
“Smooth” has been successful in eight of his nine showings inside the Octagon and put together a seven-fight winning streak that saw him earn the lightweight title and successfully defend his belt on several occasions throughout that run. His only setback under the UFC banner came against Anthony Pettis last August at UFC 164, where “Showtime” earned the first-round submission victory.
The 30-year-old Colorado native was eager to get things back on track and did so by edging out Josh Thomson in a controversial split decision in the main event at UFC on Fox 10 back in January.
His victory over “The Punk” kept him in the title mix, but the circumstances at hand in the lightweight division and his recent loss to Pettis meant Henderson was going to need a few strong showings before he would be considered for another championship opportunity.
He will face Khabilov next month in New Mexico, and if he is successful against “The Tiger,” a title eliminator bout against Nurmagomedov would make a tremendous amount of sense.
Things are a bit trickier on the Khabilov’s side of the table. The Russian suplex machine has certainly been a force to be reckoned with inside the cage and has looked more impressive with each showing inside the Octagon.
The 27-year-old Albuquerque transplant has been victorious in all three of his showings under the UFC banner and has built a solid amount of buzz in the process. There is no doubt his upcoming bout against Henderson could yield a very big reward, the likelihood of him facing Nurmagomedov in his next outing is unlikely.
The two men are friends and former training partners from their time spent in Dagestan, and their relationship could very well throw a wrench into making that fight a reality.
While money and the type of prestige that comes with a high-profile bout has the potential to change any circumstance, it would be a long shot to get the two Russian fighters into the Octagon without a title on the line. The business of MMA is certainly unpredictable, but the chances of Nurmagomedov vs. Khabilov are grim.
In a division with as much high-powered talent as there is at 155 pounds, there is little room for error where wins and losses are concerned. Once a fighter crosses over into the elite tier of the weight class, every bout comes with crucial importance.
Both Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller are currently swimming in those waters. The two men will face off in the main event of Fight Night 45 in what is sure to be a highly anticipated showdown between two of the scrappiest fighters in the division.
“Cowboy” is no stranger to putting together winning streaks, and he’s currently in the midst of another impressive run. The Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter has collected three consecutive wins inside the Octagon and has finished his opponent in each of those showings.
Cerrone has started to build a strong case for a return to the contender’s table at 155 pounds, and his upcoming bout with Miller will certainly determine which route—whether he jumps up into title contention or is reshuffled.
Should he defeat Miller in Atlantic City, a potential matchup with Nurmagomedov could certainly become reality. Cerrone’s striking would be some of the best Nurmagomedov has ever faced, and his submission game is one of the slickest in the lightweight fold.
While the undefeated prospect-turned-contender would have a decided edge in the wrestling department, Cerrone’s skills in that department are extremely underrated, and the pairing would be an interesting contrast of styles.
There is a lot of the same energy working for Miller as well. The New Jersey native has been working tirelessly to regain the standing he once held in the lightweight divisional hierarchy, and his performance against Cerrone will determine if he makes that happen.
Where Miller once notched seven consecutive wins in less than two years, a rough patch where he won two out of four bouts with one no-contest served to cool off his momentum.
That said, the AMA-trained fighter has collected back-to-back victories as of late and is poised to put himself in a position where a title shot is certainly a possibility. If he gets by Cerrone on July 16, then a bout with Nurmagomedov for his next outing would make solid sense.
In a potential matchup between two solid wrestlers, it is often the other strengths the fighters possess that ultimately determine the outcome. Nurmagomedov would have the size and strength advantage in the fight, but Miller is a dangerous submission artist when the action hits the ground and has proven power when he is able to get inside on the opposition.
When sizing up a potential matchup between Nurmagomedov and Miller, the Whippany resident’s resiliency also needs to be taken into account. Miller has a gritty, blue-collar style and has the ability to remain dangerous late in the fight, keeping him in position to be a legitimate threat even if he’s fallen behind on the judges’ scorecards.
The Return of T.J. Grant
Another possible option for the undefeated lightweight’s next fight could materialize with the return of a fighter who was once poised for a title shot of his own in T.J. Grant. The Nova Scotia native has been a nightmare since dropping down from welterweight waters back in 2011, as he’s collected five consecutive victories in the lightweight division.
While any type of winning streak at the highest level of the sport is impressive, the type of destruction the Cole Harbour-based fighter has shown over his two most recent outings have catapulted him to the top of the heap at 155 pounds.
The gritty Canadian dismantled Matt Wiman at UFC on Fox 6 in January 2013, then drubbed former title challenger Gray Maynard four months later in Las Vegas. His victory over “The Bully” earned him a title shot against Benson Henderson in Milwaukee, but that is where Grant’s story takes a hard turn South.
During his preparation to face Henderson, Grant suffered a severe concussion that forced him out of his scheduled title fight. While most head injuries require solid recovery time, Grant’s layoff has been substantial as his time outside the Octagon is drawing close to the one-year mark.
He was supposed to get another shot at the title against new champion Anthony Pettis at UFC on Fox 9 last December, but Grant was yet to be medically cleared for the injury and was forced to remain on the sidelines. There has been a lot of shake-up in the weight class in his absence, and he will have to get at least one win before he can regain his title-challenger status.
Although there has yet to be a concrete date set for his return, a bout with Nurmagomedov is one that carries solid possibility. Where other fights on the lightweight docket have to play out in order to produce a potential opponent, booking Nurmagomedov versus Grant is one that could be made outright.
Both fighters have grappling-heavy styles, solid power and decent gas tanks in the cardio department. That said, Grant has been out of action for a while, and facing a fighter who has remained active and one who has been dominating the opposition over that stretch could be a tough pull for the Canadian.
Nevertheless, a pairing between Nurmagomedov and Grant would make sense in the grand scheme of the lightweight title picture and could be the direction the UFC decides to travel in the coming months.
Another possible option would be former title challenger Nate Diaz, but there is no telling when or where his next step will come in the lightweight mix.
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
A long day is to coming to an end, but John Crouch looks no worse for wear.
The head coach of Glendale, Arizona’s MMA Lab is a physically imposing man, with broad shoulders and the kind of facial stubble that indicates more than a few things are restin…
A long day is to coming to an end, but John Crouch looks no worse for wear.
The head coach of Glendale, Arizona’s MMA Lab is a physically imposing man, with broad shoulders and the kind of facial stubble that indicates more than a few things are resting on those shoulders, but something about his approach puts those in his presence instantly at ease.
His immediate eye contact and effortless ability to hold it shows his professorial card before a single word ever comes out of his mouth, and that too offers a strange comfort in the generally awkward phase of an opening introduction.
The original intention of walking through the gym doors on the evening was to find Benson Henderson, but “Smooth” is nowhere to be found. Crouch believes the former WEC and UFC lightweight champion has gone home for the evening—and despite him having full confidence in that piece of information—even the coach can’t be sure his fighter has actually made his way out the door for good.
Crouch strolls through the facility to take one final look, and as he does, he oversees the odds and ends that are taking place on the mats and heavy bags as fighters attempt to get in their final bit of work before the shop closes up.
“I’m surprised he isn’t here to be honest,” Crouch says about Henderson with a smile. “Some guys fight for a living but it’s different with him. If Ben isn’t here training…he’s coaching or helping someone out on the mats. He’s always here.”
While Henderson was ultimately missed on the evening and would be rescheduled, the chance to sit down and pick Crouch’s brain uninterrupted was a golden opportunity for the taking. The original layout for the story had the fighter going first with the coach to follow, but they keep things moving at The Lab and seats for the ride have to be claimed when they open in order to keep up.
The energy and camaraderie that pulse throughout the place could be what are illuminating the light fixtures. Then again, it could be electricity, but it’s enough to make one think.
From the outside, The Lab looks like another version of the typical strip-mall fitness center/martial arts studio with some MMA advertising to draw in that particular crowd. But once the threshold is crossed into the lobby, the notion that the place is anything but a fight gym quickly vanishes. The lobby is lined with pictures, world titles and a host of faces, both recognizable and unfamiliar.
We walk past a run of displays from Henderson’s time as the UFC lightweight champion and then take a sharp left turn into the main office. Crouch settles into his chair and leans back slightly in a manner that suggests he is satisfied with he has accomplished thus far, but there is still so far to go.
“For us it is based on family and team,” Crouch says. “We have an environment where we are all working together and the guys give back to each other. We all take care of one another. For me, this sport is too hard to be an individual. The highs and lows are too extreme to handle alone. Especially the lows…they can be horrible. You need your guys and the people that care about and support you there. It’s never been an issue for us.
“We’ve never had a fight break out in this gym, and I hope we never have to deal with it because we are all here to get better. If you have someone good working next to you, then they are going to help in that process.”
While the team at the MMA Lab has grown over the past few years to include resurgent veterans like Joe Riggs and Efrain Escudero, the foundation has always been the relationship between Crouch and his star student.
Although the former champion and current contender is now recognized as one of the elite fighters in the 155-pound ranks, Henderson spent years running just below the radar and short of getting his due. Whereas those circumstances would have created frustration for most fighters on the rise, it wasn’t the case for Henderson, and Crouch has never been concerned the issue would ever take hold with his fighter.
Worrying and focusing on the elements beyond one’s personal control goes against The Lab’s philosophy. If you are willing to put in the hard work and keep your focus on the next step, everything else will fall into place. This is something Crouch firmly believes, and the fighters have settled into this mindset as well.
“Even going back to when we started out, my focus has always been on that next moment and handling that next thing,” he says. “We would talk about things—money for certain fights—but I would always keep the focus on the next thing and winning the next fight. That is always our goal. Just win the next fight and everything will take care of itself. The money and the matchups will come if you win your next fight.
“Guys get to thinking, ‘Oh wow…maybe I’ll get to fight for the belt if this happens,’ but you can’t control that. What I can control is my effort in the next fight. That is something we’ve talked about since Day 1 and it still applies.
“Benson has a tremendous level of confidence and belief in himself. He’s the best 155-pound fighter in the world. He is that to himself and he knows he is. He’s going to work hard to make sure he can get back that title, but I don’t think anyone’s opinion matters to him. Obviously the thoughts of his coaches and teammates matter to him, but you can’t tell Benson he’s the best because it won’t matter to him. You can tell him he’s the worst and it won’t matter to him.
“The only thing he knows is what is in his heart. He’s not really motivated by outside opinions and you can’t be. That kind of work ethic can only come from inside your heart and he has it in spades. You can’t pretend to love to work hard. You can’t pretend to have that fire and Ben has it.”
In addition to the method of focus that Crouch brings to his fighters, he also advocates a communal system at The MMA Lab. It doesn’t matter if one fighter is a UFC superstar and the next one is an up-and-coming amateur—the ideology that everyone helps the next person is at the very core of how the gym operates.
Other gyms around the country run things differently, but teamwork is how things get done at The Lab.
That said, Crouch understands there are variables that can and will come into play. A fighter could suffer an injury or be coming off a tough fight where damage was taken, and when this happens, a lack of presence in the gym is valid in his eyes. Yet, once those injuries heal, he wants to see his fighters walking back through his doors because even though they may not be physically ready to roll on the mats or take sparring rounds, their support and experience are still important to the team.
He believes being present makes all the difference and it has been a part of The MMA Lab’s success.
“Different gyms run different ways, but ours is about helping one another out,” Crouch says. “If you don’t invest in each other, you are not doing it right. There is a lot of pressure fighting in the UFC and it’s tough, so after their fights, they should take some time off and relax. But then when you’re rested, get your ass back in the gym and help the next kid because somebody helped you. Help him the way you were helped.
“I say it all the time and my guys are probably sick of hearing it, but I’m going to keep saying it because that is what makes us go here. If we don’t do it like that, then I don’t want to do it. I’ll retire and do something else.
“If guys are tired or have just been through a fight, then come in and hold pads for another guy. Talk to them and tell them what you’ve been through. Share that experience you have with a guy who is working hard to make their way up. Be part of the growth of this family. Be there and help somebody because that kid you are helping is going to be you someday. I really feel that is important and I can’t emphasize it enough.
“I don’t really know how things are done in other gyms and I don’t really care, to be honest. I have tremendous respect for so many coaches and there are so many good coaches in MMA it is kind of irritating. All we can control is what we do. That’s what we are doing in this gym…what we do…and we are working to do it the best we can.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
A long day is to coming to an end, but John Crouch looks no worse for wear.
The head coach of Glendale, Arizona’s MMA Lab is a physically imposing man, with broad shoulders and the kind of facial stubble that indicates more than a few things are restin…
A long day is to coming to an end, but John Crouch looks no worse for wear.
The head coach of Glendale, Arizona’s MMA Lab is a physically imposing man, with broad shoulders and the kind of facial stubble that indicates more than a few things are resting on those shoulders, but something about his approach puts those in his presence instantly at ease.
His immediate eye contact and effortless ability to hold it shows his professorial card before a single word ever comes out of his mouth, and that too offers a strange comfort in the generally awkward phase of an opening introduction.
The original intention of walking through the gym doors on the evening was to find Benson Henderson, but “Smooth” is nowhere to be found. Crouch believes the former WEC and UFC lightweight champion has gone home for the evening—and despite him having full confidence in that piece of information—even the coach can’t be sure his fighter has actually made his way out the door for good.
Crouch strolls through the facility to take one final look, and as he does, he oversees the odds and ends that are taking place on the mats and heavy bags as fighters attempt to get in their final bit of work before the shop closes up.
“I’m surprised he isn’t here to be honest,” Crouch says about Henderson with a smile. “Some guys fight for a living but it’s different with him. If Ben isn’t here training…he’s coaching or helping someone out on the mats. He’s always here.”
While Henderson was ultimately missed on the evening and would be rescheduled, the chance to sit down and pick Crouch’s brain uninterrupted was a golden opportunity for the taking. The original layout for the story had the fighter going first with the coach to follow, but they keep things moving at The Lab and seats for the ride have to be claimed when they open in order to keep up.
The energy and camaraderie that pulse throughout the place could be what are illuminating the light fixtures. Then again, it could be electricity, but it’s enough to make one think.
From the outside, The Lab looks like another version of the typical strip-mall fitness center/martial arts studio with some MMA advertising to draw in that particular crowd. But once the threshold is crossed into the lobby, the notion that the place is anything but a fight gym quickly vanishes. The lobby is lined with pictures, world titles and a host of faces, both recognizable and unfamiliar.
We walk past a run of displays from Henderson’s time as the UFC lightweight champion and then take a sharp left turn into the main office. Crouch settles into his chair and leans back slightly in a manner that suggests he is satisfied with he has accomplished thus far, but there is still so far to go.
“For us it is based on family and team,” Crouch says. “We have an environment where we are all working together and the guys give back to each other. We all take care of one another. For me, this sport is too hard to be an individual. The highs and lows are too extreme to handle alone. Especially the lows…they can be horrible. You need your guys and the people that care about and support you there. It’s never been an issue for us.
“We’ve never had a fight break out in this gym, and I hope we never have to deal with it because we are all here to get better. If you have someone good working next to you, then they are going to help in that process.”
While the team at the MMA Lab has grown over the past few years to include resurgent veterans like Joe Riggs and Efrain Escudero, the foundation has always been the relationship between Crouch and his star student.
Although the former champion and current contender is now recognized as one of the elite fighters in the 155-pound ranks, Henderson spent years running just below the radar and short of getting his due. Whereas those circumstances would have created frustration for most fighters on the rise, it wasn’t the case for Henderson, and Crouch has never been concerned the issue would ever take hold with his fighter.
Worrying and focusing on the elements beyond one’s personal control goes against The Lab’s philosophy. If you are willing to put in the hard work and keep your focus on the next step, everything else will fall into place. This is something Crouch firmly believes, and the fighters have settled into this mindset as well.
“Even going back to when we started out, my focus has always been on that next moment and handling that next thing,” he says. “We would talk about things—money for certain fights—but I would always keep the focus on the next thing and winning the next fight. That is always our goal. Just win the next fight and everything will take care of itself. The money and the matchups will come if you win your next fight.
“Guys get to thinking, ‘Oh wow…maybe I’ll get to fight for the belt if this happens,’ but you can’t control that. What I can control is my effort in the next fight. That is something we’ve talked about since Day 1 and it still applies.
“Benson has a tremendous level of confidence and belief in himself. He’s the best 155-pound fighter in the world. He is that to himself and he knows he is. He’s going to work hard to make sure he can get back that title, but I don’t think anyone’s opinion matters to him. Obviously the thoughts of his coaches and teammates matter to him, but you can’t tell Benson he’s the best because it won’t matter to him. You can tell him he’s the worst and it won’t matter to him.
“The only thing he knows is what is in his heart. He’s not really motivated by outside opinions and you can’t be. That kind of work ethic can only come from inside your heart and he has it in spades. You can’t pretend to love to work hard. You can’t pretend to have that fire and Ben has it.”
In addition to the method of focus that Crouch brings to his fighters, he also advocates a communal system at The MMA Lab. It doesn’t matter if one fighter is a UFC superstar and the next one is an up-and-coming amateur—the ideology that everyone helps the next person is at the very core of how the gym operates.
Other gyms around the country run things differently, but teamwork is how things get done at The Lab.
That said, Crouch understands there are variables that can and will come into play. A fighter could suffer an injury or be coming off a tough fight where damage was taken, and when this happens, a lack of presence in the gym is valid in his eyes. Yet, once those injuries heal, he wants to see his fighters walking back through his doors because even though they may not be physically ready to roll on the mats or take sparring rounds, their support and experience are still important to the team.
He believes being present makes all the difference and it has been a part of The MMA Lab’s success.
“Different gyms run different ways, but ours is about helping one another out,” Crouch says. “If you don’t invest in each other, you are not doing it right. There is a lot of pressure fighting in the UFC and it’s tough, so after their fights, they should take some time off and relax. But then when you’re rested, get your ass back in the gym and help the next kid because somebody helped you. Help him the way you were helped.
“I say it all the time and my guys are probably sick of hearing it, but I’m going to keep saying it because that is what makes us go here. If we don’t do it like that, then I don’t want to do it. I’ll retire and do something else.
“If guys are tired or have just been through a fight, then come in and hold pads for another guy. Talk to them and tell them what you’ve been through. Share that experience you have with a guy who is working hard to make their way up. Be part of the growth of this family. Be there and help somebody because that kid you are helping is going to be you someday. I really feel that is important and I can’t emphasize it enough.
“I don’t really know how things are done in other gyms and I don’t really care, to be honest. I have tremendous respect for so many coaches and there are so many good coaches in MMA it is kind of irritating. All we can control is what we do. That’s what we are doing in this gym…what we do…and we are working to do it the best we can.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Sometimes in sports, good teams get trapped.