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Most fighters in the UFC can credit their own instincts and unique skill-sets as being largely responsible for their success inside the octagon. However, more hardcore students of the sport understand that behind every great fighter is a great head coach.
Often-times, these coaches operate from gyms or fight camps that help sharpen a fighter's tools, while also developing gameplans to better equip them for the foe they'll inevitably face in the cage. For many years, Black House MMA and Jackson Wink MMA were the most prominent gyms/camps in the world of mixed martial arts.
Former UFC champions like Jon Jones, Holly Holm, Rashad Evans, Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida all hailed from said camps. However, as the sport evolved, the landscape of MMA changed, forcing certain fighters who found themselves on losing streaks to switch camps in search of greener pastures.
This list takes a look at five UFC fighters who found significant success upon switching camps/gyms.
#5. UFC heavyweight fighter - Fabricio Werdum
Whenever a list compiling the greatest grapplers in heavyweight MMA is attempted, Fabricio Werdum is always mentioned. A second-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Werdum is as good a grappler as any fighter needs to be in the heavyweight division. Unfortunately, for a large portion of his career, that was all the Brazilian ever was.
Without the wrestling pedigree to consistently drag his opponents to the ground, Werdum was often helpless against foes he couldn't take down. By 2013, he realized that he needed a change. Hence, he made the decision to join Kings MMA, where renowned Muay Thai coach Rafael Cordeiro vastly improved Werdum's striking skills, turning him into a competent Muay Thai fighter who was comfortable striking with his opponents when he lacked the means to ground them.
After a 3-1 run in Strikeforce, 'Vai Cavalo' was welcomed back into the UFC, a promotion he was previously released from after a poor 2-2 run that culminated in a first-round knockout loss to future UFC champion Junior dos Santos. This time, Werdum was a different fighter altogether, using his newfound Muay Thai skills to embark on a 6-fight win streak that saw him dethrone Cain Velasquez to capture the UFC heavyweight championship.
#4. Rafael dos Anjos
Another highly skilled Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist whose original approach to MMA was implementing a pressure-based grappling game, Rafael dos Anjos once lacked the well-rounded skill-set necessary to crack the very top of the UFC lightweight division. Thus, in 2012, he left his old gym in favor of making the switch to Kings MMA, where Rafael Cordeiro sought to turn him into a competent striker just as he had with Fabricio Werdum.
Cordeiro proved more than successful. 'RDA' evolved into a relentless pressure fighter who used sweeping strikes to attack the surrounding space his opponents used to maneuver around the cage, crowding them before sandwiching them between himself and the fence en route to brutalizing them. After mastering Cordeiro's style, dos Anjos shook off the memory of his lopsided loss to future UFC lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov in pursuit of his own glory.
The Brazilian rode a 3-fight win streak into a title fight with the then reigning champion Anthony Pettis. 'Showtime' was a favorite to win the matchup, but 'RDA' neutralized him by depriving him of the space he needed to throw kicks. It was a dominant showing that earned the Brazilian the lightweight title. 'RDA' went on to successfully defend his title against Donald Cerrone, TKO'ing 'Cowboy' before unexpectedly dropping the belt to Eddie Alvarez in his subsequent bout.
#3. Francis Ngannou
In 2018, Francis Ngannou was at a crossroads in his UFC career. He had just challenged Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title, losing the matchup in a manner that highlighted the Cameroonian's inexperience in MMA. Afterward, an uncharacteristically timid Ngannou put forth an impotent performance in his infamous low-volume bout with Derrick Lewis at UFC 226. Feeling as though he was no longer progressing at the MMA Factory, Ngannou made a change.
He made the switch to Xtreme Couture, earning the ire of former coach Fernand Lopez. Nevertheless, 'The Predator' was committed to his decision and it paid dividends. Ngannou snapped the first and only losing streak of his career by amassing 4 straight wins, 2 of which were first-round knockouts of former UFC champions Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez. Finally, 'The Predator' had earned his rematch against the then reigning champion Stipe Miocic.
The ensuing bout was nothing like their first affair. Miocic's attempts at wrestling the Cameroonian were thwarted at every turn, with Ngannou even managing a counter-trip against the American. Before the first minute of the second round, Ngannou had knocked Miocic out cold to capture the title he claimed his former camp had failed to prepare him for.
Xtreme Couture proved so successful that even in Ngannou's subsequent bout with Ciryl Gane, the Cameroonian secured a win by implementing a highly uncharacteristic wrestling-heavy gameplan despite his torn MCL and injured ACL.
#2. Robbie Lawler
Before UFC 181, if anyone had suggested that Robbie Lawler would one day become the UFC welterweight champion, such a prediction would be dismissed with laughter at best and derision at worst. At one point in his career, Lawler was an inconsistent fighter. While he was a powerful striker, he was also reckless, even reaching a stage where he had almost half as many losses as he had wins.
In search of a career resurgence, the aging Lawler made the switch to American Top Team. Not even 'Ruthless' himself could have foreseen how successful the pairing would be. Following a unanimous decision loss to Johny Hendricks for the then vacant welterweight title, Lawler became a more disciplined fighter who channeled his aggression wisely as a vicious counterpuncher.
Amassing back-to-back wins, he again crossed paths with Hendricks, only this time Lawler defeated his rival to finally capture UFC gold. His subsequent bout was a UFC 189 matchup against Rory MacDonald. It was a war unlike any other, with Lawler emerging victorious in a fight often cited as arguably the greatest in UFC history. Lawler went on to successfully defend his title for a second time against Carlos Condit before ultimately losing his championship to Tyron Woodley.
#1. Amanda Nunes
While Amanda Nunes has erased all doubt about her previous loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269 by thoroughly dominating her in their UFC 277 rematch, before the two women had ever crossed paths, 'The Lioness' seemed truly unbeatable. The Brazilian was on a historic 12-fight win streak that saw her defeat former champions Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Germaine de Randamie and even Valentina Shevchenko.
However, before becoming a 22-5 fighter, Nunes was 9-4 after losing to Cat Zingano in a performance that punctuated her reputation as a powerful fighter with a poor gas tank and even worse pacing issues. To address her issues with strategic efficacy, Nunes found a new home with American Top Team. Under the tutelage of Mike Brown and a team of other coaches, Nunes built the foundation of her legend.
Not only did she embark on a lengthy win streak, but she captured both the women's bantamweight and featherweight championships, defending them both en route to being recognized as the greatest female fighter of all time.
