Great idea, right? They get to train with experienced partners (learning) and get pushed to the limit physically. However, my problem with it, as a fan, is that it often messes up potentially great match-ups because fighter A won't fight his fighter friend Fighter B. An example of this (for ME at least) is I will never get to see Fitch fight (beat up) Koscheck. Anyone have any examples of great fights we'll never get to see 'cause the fighters are friends? Here are some of mine:
Right now, none of those matchups are necessary. If Kos had beaten GSP, then you could argue that him and Fitch need to fight for No.1 contender. Same thing with Rashad and Jardine. If Rashad beats Tito, then him and Jardine should really fight.
yeah, so each top fighter should be placed in locations around the country, separate from each other, and look for alternative training scenarios.
I could see it now, break up AKA
----Fitch in Indiana training at a Kung Fu academy.
---Move Koschek back east and he could train with the local high school wrestling team.
---Southworth could stay and train in San Jose with a
AKA
---Puder would work out with an Aikido group on weekends.
---Cung off to a BJJ school
---Buentello could move to Mexico and train with 130 lb boxers.
Yeah, fighters should just train by themsevles, never spar or roll with anyone else, and refuse to make any friends within MMA. With this strategy, I'm sure the quality of fighters and the fights would shoot through the roof.
God forbid we miss out on a few fights for the sake of a higher quality product.