In a sport where evolving your skills is a daily necessity and crucial for success, UFC Welterweight Champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler is a prime example of such a metamorphosis. His recent resurgence and multiple performance bonuses are a testament to Lawler’s passion and dedication to his craft, showing his vast improvements with each consecutive fight.
One could argue that Robbie is the hardest worker in the 170 lb division, but he’ll be the first to tell you that his training partners at American Top Team (ATT) have been vital in helping him reach the pinnacle of his professional career.
Based out of Coconut Creek, Florida, ATT is home to some of the toughest male and female athletes on the planet. Boasting a roster of over 100 fighters amongst 10 different weight classes, the 20,000-square-foot world-class training facility comes equipped with everything an aspiring mixed-martial arts fighter will need. This includes weightlifting equipment, cardio machines, a dry sauna, muay thai bags, over 4500-square-feet of mat space, and even its own 24-foot Octagon cage! But the most important part about American Top Team is its fighters, and the family bond that they share.
UFC middleweight Roan “Jucao” Carneiro says, “ATT is an amazing place for my camps. I know all the coaches and most of the fighters also. I feel like I’m around my family. All the coaches look for excellence and everybody is focused in their fights.”
When asked about Robbie Lawler and how their team has helped the champion elevate his game, Roan states, “He feels ATT is like his home as well. Everybody there loves him and it just makes training easy for everyone. Katel Kubis and Kami Barzine have helped him a lot.”
Carneiro made his UFC debut in 2007, and recently scored a huge win over Mark Munoz with a brutal rear naked choke finish. “Jucao” is scheduled to fight former Strikeforce Light-Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi on August 23rd, at UFC Fight Night 77 in Japan.
He looks to keep the momentum going with another win, and says his teammates have him well-prepared. “We have made a good game plan and I am excited to execute it.”
American Top Team just overcame a tremendous disadvantage in the tournament-style reality TV show, The Ultimate Fighter 21: ATT vs. Blackzilians. After a slow start, the Coconut Creek team persevered, rallying a storybook comeback and ultimately winning the competition. At The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale in July, ATT’s Michael Graves won his bout in decisive fashion, scoring 7 takedowns and landing 73% of his strikes.
After the win there was little time for celebration as ATT got right back to the grind, with numerous high-profile UFC match-ups being announced in the following weeks. Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley, who stars as T-Bone in the N.W.A. biopic “Straight Outta Compton”, is slated to square off against former title holder and number one contender Johny Hendricks at UFC 192.
Lightweight phenom Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier meets Irish stud Joseph Duffy in the main event of UFC: Dublin, live on UFC Fight Pass. And the welterweight king “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler, fresh off his first title defense in a Fight of the Decade candidate with Rory MacDonald, will put the belt on the line against former interim champ Carlos Condit, at UFC 193 on November 14th in Australia.
Japan. Ireland. Australia. No matter where they go, ATT fighters stick together, helping each other succeed not just as individuals, but as a full-fledged team. It truly is a brotherhood, a family of combatants determined to constantly improve their skills together.
Robbie Lawler may be the first UFC champion fighting out of American Top Team, but he couldn’t have done it without hard work and the help of his team. He has evolved into an elite mixed-martial artist, and as his second title defense draws near, he will have his own crew of “natural born killers” by his side.
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