Chad Mendes: ‘Dillashaw and Team Alpha Male will remain buddies’

Earlier this month, TJ Dillashaw announced that he would be jumping ship from Team Alpha Male to Elevation Fight Team in Denver, Colorado. The switch in teams caused tension between certain members of TAM and the UFC Bantamweight Champion, but it seems like issues have been addressed and members of both parties will, in fact, remain friends.

“We’re all still going to be buddies with TJ,” Chad Mendes told Fighters Only. “He made the decision to leave and he believes that’s what he needs to be able to stay on top. And he’s a grown ass man so he can make his own choices. He’s going to be missed though. But we’ve all got to just remain focused and keep working towards our own goal: to become champions.”

Dillashaw saw an incredible improvement in striking under the tutelage of Duane “Bang” Ludwig when he served as head coach for Team Alpha Male. After Ludwig chose to leave for his own project in Denver, Colorado, Urijah Faber was quick to mention that his departure was a breath of fresh air. Of course, details started leaking as to why tensions rose between Team Alpha Male and Duane Ludwig and things got ugly quick.

Dillashaw mentioned that he was not leaving Team Alpha Male simply because he favored the teachings of Ludwig, but rather because he feels that he should be dedicating the majority of his time to training which Elevation Fight Team allows him to do. With no head coach at Team Alpha Male at the moment, Dillashaw was teaching striking classes a couple days a week. It also didn’t hurt that Elevation Fight Team were paying him to train there.

“They’re offering to pay me to train, instead of me paying to train,” Dillashaw mentioned on a recent episode of Stud Show Radio. “This sport is growing so much that that’s the way I feel like it should be. We’re professional athletes.”

Will Dillashaw ever clash with Faber? Why don’t we just ask Conor McGregor that question…