Overview
- The former two-division UFC champion made the claim in a conversation with ex-teammate Josh Thomson reported by MMA Junkie.
- He described the American Kickboxing Academy as an in-house, home-built team that developed fighters from the start rather than inheriting finished products.
- The gym produced multiple UFC titleholders, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, Luke Rockhold and Cain Velasquez alongside Cormier.
- Cormier remains the only AKA athlete to hold two UFC belts simultaneously at light heavyweight and heavyweight.
- Recent reporting notes Makhachev set a lightweight record with four title defenses before moving up to win welterweight, and he is now seen as carrying the gym’s banner.