Tag: Randy Couture

Robert Follis, Head Coach at Xtreme Couture, Parts Ways with Gym

Fighters and their fights rightfully dominate the MMA news cycle. 
It’s not often their coaches make headlines unless they’re being interviewed during fight week about the game plan for one of their fighters. But when one of the top coaches in the…

Fighters and their fights rightfully dominate the MMA news cycle. 

It’s not often their coaches make headlines unless they’re being interviewed during fight week about the game plan for one of their fighters. But when one of the top coaches in the sport leaves the gym they’ve been affiliated with for years, it’s certainly newsworthy. 

Veteran MMA coach Robert Follis parted ways with Xtreme Couture, the Las Vegas-based MMA gym owned by UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, on Monday. He notified Bleacher Report by phone Tuesday. 

Follis ran daily MMA and grappling classes for the professional fighters at the gym along with serving as head coach for some of its top fighters like Kevin Lee, Bryan Caraway and Tim Elliott, as well as former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate.

Follis was with the gym for just over four years. Prior to his time at Xtreme Couture, he was the head coach and co-owner of Team Quest in Portland, Oregon. 

“I’d like to thank Randy [Couture] for bringing me on when the gym was going through some struggles. Having the opportunity to build it back up to a world-class level has been one of the great experiences of my professional career,” Follis said in a statement to Bleacher Report. “At the time there was not a Brazilian jiu-jitsu program in place for non-fighters to come in for, so to see it take off and flourish was a great accomplishment. I’m really excited about some big possibilities that are currently sitting in front of me and I’m looking forward to watching these things unfold soon. I’m so grateful to everyone that partnered with me over the years to get the gym and the Brazilian jiu-jitsu program to where it is.” 

Given Follis’ track record thus far, he’ll no doubt find success in whatever venture he chooses next.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Next Gen: 10 MMA Stars Whose Sons Became Fighters

Almost a quarter of a century since UFC 1 ushered in the age of mixed martial arts (MMA), we’ve now reached the stage where some of the sport’s early pioneers have gone on to raise children of their own who decided to follow in their footsteps. However, as you’ll see in the pages that follow, […]

The post Next Gen: 10 MMA Stars Whose Sons Became Fighters appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Almost a quarter of a century since UFC 1 ushered in the age of mixed martial arts (MMA), we’ve now reached the stage where some of the sport’s early pioneers have gone on to raise children of their own who decided to follow in their footsteps.

However, as you’ll see in the pages that follow, it’s not always easy for these next-generation fighters to get out from under their famous fathers’ shadows and deal with the weight of expectation that inevitably falls on their shoulders as they look to make their own mark in the sport.

Nevertheless, among these ten fighters stand a few who have so far lived up to the hype, and could yet become future stars in the sport that their fathers helped build.

Randy Couture / Ryan Couture

A true legend of the sport, Randy Couture is one of the UFC’s most decorated fighters, having won the heavyweight title on three separate occasions, the light-heavyweight title twice, and not to mention also having been an interim champ at 205 pounds and UFC 13 heavyweight tournament winner.

With such a formidable career, it was always going to be tough for Couture’s son Ryan to live up to his father’s legacy when he set out to forge his own path in the sport.

As such, the next-generation Couture hasn’t reached the same level of success or fame, but nevertheless he has managed to build a career in the sport that’s seen him fight for the likes of the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator, compiling an 11-5 record so far that includes includes wins over established veterans like KJ Noons and Conor Heun.

When asked what advice he’d give to others sons of famous fighters, the now 35-year-old said it’s all about managing expectations.

“They should be trying to achieve their own goals and be happy with that,” Couture told BloodyElbow. “If they’re doing it out of some need to achieve the same level of success as that person, whose footsteps they’re following, then they’re setting themselves up for frustration.”

The post Next Gen: 10 MMA Stars Whose Sons Became Fighters appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Randy Couture Latest Fighter to Get Bellator Bobblehead Treatment

Bellator officials announced that the first 5,000 fans to pass through the gates at Bryce Jordan Center for Bellator 186 will receive a limited-edition Randy Couture bobblehead. The company has previously released Fedor Emelianenko and Royce Gracie bobbleheads prior to events. Legends Bobblehead Round 3! 1st 5k fans at @JordanCenter for #Bellator186 receive this @Randy_Couture […]

Bellator officials announced that the first 5,000 fans to pass through the gates at Bryce Jordan Center for Bellator 186 will receive a limited-edition Randy Couture bobblehead. The company has previously released Fedor Emelianenko and Royce Gracie bobbleheads prior to events. Legends Bobblehead Round 3! 1st 5k fans at @JordanCenter for #Bellator186 receive this @Randy_Couture […]

8 Fighters with the Best Post-MMA Careers

MMA is a cruel mistress.
For the vast majority of its athletes, they’ll put years into their pursuit and never get near the level of iconography that the very best do. They’ll give mind and body to become the best martial artists they can, quite often …

MMA is a cruel mistress.

For the vast majority of its athletes, they’ll put years into their pursuit and never get near the level of iconography that the very best do. They’ll give mind and body to become the best martial artists they can, quite often reaching unimaginable heights when the cage door closes.

Then, in a blink, it’s gone.

They retire—or perhaps are retired by a younger, hungrier fighter closing the loop and keeping the sport grinding forward—and are left without the buzz they craved for so long.

No fans.

No fun.

No fights.

For the first time in their lives, they’re just another person in line at the grocery store or stuck in traffic, and it’s a little shocking.

That’s why a fighter needs to have a plan for their exit and for the time afterward. While Conor McGregor shrewdly sets himself up to live it up, there are veterans with GoFundMes looking to pay for some horrible surgery.

But McGregor is not, for once, in a class of his own, at least when it comes to planning life after fighting. Many who have come before him have done remarkable things after competing in MMA and continue to do so.

They’ve created a blueprint for diversifying and leveraging the lessons of the world’s toughest sport into something greater.

Here’s a look at eight such individuals.

Begin Slideshow

Randy Couture Talks McGregor & Diaz Getting Boxing Licenses

Randy Couture believes the fact that Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz have boxing licenses should be a wakeup call to mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters. Couture has been a supporter of transitioning the Ali Act to MMA. He had a nasty split from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) years ago and has advocated for fighters […]

Randy Couture believes the fact that Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz have boxing licenses should be a wakeup call to mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters. Couture has been a supporter of transitioning the Ali Act to MMA. He had a nasty split from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) years ago and has advocated for fighters […]

Randy Couture Explains Why Malignaggi-McGregor Sparring Video Reeks Of Publicity Stunt

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture is well experienced with the fight game and is also an MMA fighter who fought a boxer during his time. If you recall, he fought boxing great James Toney in Tony’s lone MMA appearance. With all of the drama that has gone on between Conor McGregor and Paulie Malignaggi […]

The post Randy Couture Explains Why Malignaggi-McGregor Sparring Video Reeks Of Publicity Stunt appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture is well experienced with the fight game and is also an MMA fighter who fought a boxer during his time. If you recall, he fought boxing great James Toney in Tony’s lone MMA appearance.

With all of the drama that has gone on between Conor McGregor and Paulie Malignaggi and their sparring video showing McGregor knocking down the former boxing champion, Couture is someone to ask about sparring sessions.

“I definitely see two guys sparring,” Couture said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd (transcript courtesy of MMA Fighting). “[But] I’m kind of questioning why there’s an official referee in his uniform there. That’s not a usual thing for a sparring workout. . . [The job of a sparring partner] is to give you a look, to present what your opponent may bring to this fight and to try to mimic that as much as you can. You’re not there to fight, you’re not there prove you can beat this guy or you can compete with this guy. That’s not what it’s about. You’re volunteering or being paid to give this guy a look, give him rounds, give him solid work, and mimic the guy he’s fighting.”

It’s well known by now that Malignaggi ended up leaving the McGregor camp after photos of the sparring session leaked. UFC President Dana White released a highly edited video, which made McGregor appear much better than he is, according to Malignaggi. According to the UFC Hall of Famer, the McGregor sparring video seems more a promotional decision rather than something substantive or instructive.

“This reeks of a publicity stunt to me. Normally, you don’t have an official referee there, presiding over a sparring match. normally, you’d have two or three other partners there that would rotate in on rounds and give each other breaks because it’s tough being that guy. You know when you’re there you’re there to contribute, to help this guy find solutions to the problems his opponent is gonna bring.”

“I give Conor a one in ten chance of winning this fight. He’s unorthodox, he’s a southpaw, he’s not gonna throw things that Floyd’s used to seeing, he’s younger, and he’s a little bigger. Those are all positives for Conor but at the end of the day he’s still competing in a pure boxing match against one of the pound-for-pound best technical, best defensive fighters that we’ve seen in a long, long time.”

The post Randy Couture Explains Why Malignaggi-McGregor Sparring Video Reeks Of Publicity Stunt appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.