Javier Mendez News
EXCLUSIVE | Coach Javier Mendez will support Daniel Cormier "100%" if he pursues Jones rematch
Tom Taylor - September 6, 2018
Last week, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones stated that he hopes to fight his arch rival Daniel Cormier twice more before they both hang up the gloves for good. In the opinion of Daniel Cormier’s head coach Javier Mendez, however, Cormier does not need to fight Jones again. Having captured the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles, his legacy is already secure — even without settling his score with Jones.
EXCLUSIVE | Coach Javier Mendez explains how he's reduced AKA fighter injuries by "50 percent"
Tom Taylor - September 3, 2018
As the home of current and former champions like Daniel Cormier, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Cain Velasquez and Luke Rockhold, American Kickboxing Academy is one of the very best MMA gyms in the world. It might even be the best in the world outright. If there has ever been a reason to knock the gym, however, it’s that, for a time, their fighters just couldn’t seem to stay healthy. On multiple occasions in the past, AKA’s top stars have been forced out of massive fights with injuries — oftentimes at the very last minute. This trend, unsurprisingly, did not go over well with fight fans, who understandably wanted to see AKA’s top dogs in action.
EXCLUSIVE | Javier Mendez assures Luke Rockhold will always be welcome at AKA
Tom Taylor - September 3, 2018
For many years, Luke Rockhold was one of the most visible and successful fighters training out of American Kickboxing Academy, and a crucial training partner to both Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez. Over the last year or so, however, Rockhold has done much of his training elsewhere. The former middleweight champion even did some training at Combat Club in Florida at a time when Volkan Oezdemir was using the gym to prepare for a fight with Cormier. All the same, you will not be hearing of any drama between Luke Rockhold and American Kickboxing Academy.
BJPENN.COM Radio Ep. 94 // Javier Mendez | Dominick Reyes | Curtis Blaydes
Jason Kindschy - September 2, 2018
BJPENN.COM Radio is back, Penn Nation! We kick things off with head coach and founder of the American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez. Grooming talented athletes into champions for over a decade, Javier is undoubtedly one of MMA’s most passionate coaches. We’ll talk shop with Mendez and get his take on several of his star pupils. You’ll hear an update on the future of Cain Velasquez, Luke Rockhold’s relationship with AKA, Daniel Cormier’s plans before retirement, and much more.