7 Powerhouse MMA Gyms In America That You Need To Know
The United States of America is a true powerhouse in the mixed martial arts world, and fighters flock from all corners of the globe to train with the elite teams there.
This includes the world-class athletes of ONE Championship — some of whom call the nation their home, while others just head there for training camps ahead of their matchups on the global stage.
On the 4th of July, it’s time to celebrate all things USA with seven of the best MMA gyms in America that have produced top stars in The Home Of Martial Arts.
United MMA
Hawaii’s United MMA is synonymous with ONE’s success. The family-run gym, headed up by Ken Lee, punches well above its weight with two ONE World Champions — siblings “Unstoppable” Angela Lee and Christian “The Warrior” Lee.
Younger sister Victoria “The Prodigy” Lee is a rising star on the global stage, and veteran campaigner Bruno “Puccibull” Pucci — husband of Angela — is now also based out of the Waipahu gym.
Though their athletes are well-rounded, United MMA is most famous for the grappling prowess of its representatives on the global stage.
American Top Team
A bona fide “super-gym,” American Top Team attracts legions of elite martial artists to its headquarters in Florida.
ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes is one of the biggest names in The Home Of Martial Arts, alongside his Brazilian compatriot and #1-ranked bantamweight contender, John “Hands of Stone” Lineker.
Cuba’s Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart and Lebanon’s Mohammad “O Lutador” Karaki also train at the Coconut Creek facility.
American Kickboxing Academy
San Jose, California’s American Kickboxing Academy has been the home to some of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
Canadian-Indian Arjan “Singh” Bhullar wants to follow in their footsteps as one of the gym’s top heavyweight products, and with the ONE Heavyweight World Championship to his credit, he is on the way there.
Burgeoning contender Anthony “The Antidote” Do also trains at AKA, as well as ADCC World Champion Yuri Simoes, who has committed himself to his MMA career at the renowned academy.
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AMC Pankration
Washington’s AMC Pankration is another world-leading gym that has consistently seen its athletes operate at the top level.
Flyweight GOAT Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is one superstar from the gym, and ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes also does his camps alongside his American teammate in Woodinville.
Team Alpha Male
North American MMA legend Urijah Faber heads up Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California, and they have consistently churned out top talent to the biggest combat sports promotions across the world.
“Super” Sage Northcutt and his sister Colbey Northcutt have both cited their improvements since training at the California facility, and there are plenty more exciting stars – including Japan’s Namiki Kawahara – who call the gym their home.
Sanford MMA
Sanford MMA’s stock grew exponentially when former two-division ONE World Champions Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang and Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen began training at the Deerfield Beach, Florida facility.
This attracted former ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera to the gym, along with Troy “Pretty Boy” Worthen and #3-ranked flyweight contender Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu.
With elite coaches like Greg Jones and Henri Hooft, Sanford MMA provides a one-stop shop for all of the needs of a mixed martial artist.
Xtreme Couture
Founded by MMA pioneer Randy Couture, Xtreme Couture is a hive of excellence in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It is home to flyweight dynamo Gurdarshan “Saint Lion” Mangat and atomweight star Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen — with both athletes always prepared to show their multi-faceted skill sets inside the Circle.
Read more: De Ridder ‘Done’ With Aung La N Sang, Wants New Challengers
