Top 5 MMA gyms with a star-studded roster

#2. American Kickboxing Academy (AKA)

AKA head coach Javier Mendez | Image credit: OZY

Javier Mendez founded the American Kickboxing Academy in the 1980s. It was originally known for kickboxing but later transformed into an MMA gym with the emergence of the sport. Over the years, AKA has become a highly reputed training facility and one of the most star-studded MMA gyms in the world, boasting extremely successful UFC fighters.

Based in San Jose, California, AKA is known for training some of the best wrestlers and turning them into better strikers. They also make fighters who prefer a standup battle feel comfortable on the ground. Perhaps one of the very first stars to join AKA was former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier.

AKA has trained former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and now houses some of the best Dagestani wrestlers like Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov and Abubakr Nurmagomedov.

Other notable UFC fighters to have trained at AKA are Cain Velasquez, Luke Rockhold, Kevin Holland and Leon Edwards.

---

#1. American Top Team (ATT)

UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier (right) with the American Top Team coach (center) | Image credit: Twitter @DustinPoirier

American Top Team is probably one of the largest MMA gyms in the world. It was founded by Dan Lambert and some senior members of the Brazilian Top Team in 2001. Over the past two decades, the academy has earned quite much praise from global MMA circles.

The coaching unit's dedication and knowledge has turned American Top Team into a global brand with over 40 affiliates. The main headquarters of ATT is in Coconut Creek, Florida, with dorms available for pro fighters to reside in during training camps.

Coaches such as Din Thomas and Mike Brown have earned American Top Team its credibility, along with the rate at which the MMA gym produces top-tier fighters. Many of the MMA athletes training at ATT have gone on to compete in major promotions like the UFC, Pride FC, Rizin FF, Strikeforce and Bellator.

UFC stars such as Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes, Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, Yoel Romero, and Joanna Jędrzejczyk - have all trained at American Top Team at some point in their careers.