The relationship between UFC fighters and their coaches is as intense as it is intricate—if it had a status on Facebook, it would almost certainly be “complicated.” Fighters and coaches share a bond built on trust, discipline, and mutual growth, yet egos inevitably clash. Few dynamics in professional sports are as delicate as this one.
Many veteran fighters maintain strong relationships with their coaches, forming partnerships that stand the test of time. Take Georges St-Pierre and Firas Zahabi, or Conor McGregor and John Kavanagh—duos that have navigated the highs and lows of the fight game together. However, not all fighter-coach relationships remain intact. Some of the sport’s biggest names have experienced highly publicized fallouts with their mentors, with the latest example being Sean Strickland’s split from Xtreme Couture and Eric Nicksick after UFC 312. So this article will delve into some famous fighter-coach fallouts in UFC history. Let’s get started!
Francis Ngannou and Fernand Lopez
Before diving into Francis Ngannou’s clash with his former coach, let’s first break down what unfolded after UFC 312. Sean Strickland suffered a one-sided decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis, and the fallout was swift. Both fans and his coach, Eric Nicksick, were critical of his performance—a reaction that didn’t sit well with Strickland. Feeling betrayed by Nicksick’s response, the former 185lbs champ decided to sever ties, abruptly ending their professional relationship.
This brings us to three other high-profile breakups between UFC fighters and their coaches, starting with the long-brewing tension between Francis Ngannou and Fernand Lopez. Their split was inevitable, but Lopez remained frustrated by how the public perceived it. Perhaps his biggest grievance was that he could never express his side without appearing envious of Ngannou’s success—something the former UFC heavyweight champion himself believes was at the heart of their falling out.
MMA: UFC 270-Ngannou vs Gane, Jan 22, 2022, Anaheim, California, USA Francis Ngannou speaks with media following his championship victory at UFC 270 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports, 22.01.2022 00:01:41, 17551666, NPStrans, Francis Ngannou, Honda Center, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: Gary.Vasquez 17551666
“I don’t expect anything from him,” Fernand Lopez said on The MMA Hour back in 2021, reflecting on his fractured relationship with Francis Ngannou. According to Lopez, the rift stemmed from a character flaw he noticed in Ngannou during their time training together. One of their earliest conflicts arose when Ngannou refused to pay the gym’s annual 600-euro ($686) fee in 2016.
“Francis said to me, ‘I’m the one bringing the light into the gym. I shall not pay any membership,’” Lopez recalled. “I said, ‘This is crazy. You must be crazy. You spent four years of your life in my gym. I never asked you for anything.’”
Lopez, who shares Cameroonian roots with Ngannou, saw himself in the young fighter and wanted to provide him with a space to chase his dreams. But as Ngannou’s star power grew, Lopez expected some acknowledgment of his role in shaping the future heavyweight champion. However, their financial arrangement became a breaking point. “You pay me 10 percent,” Lopez said. “On top of that 10, you ask me to pay the sparring partners with the money you give me.”
Moreover, these tensions only flared when Lopez later sided with Ciryl Gane (Ngannou’s former teammate at MMA Factory) before their UFC 270 heavyweight title unification bout. Feeling undervalued and disrespected, Lopez ultimately chose to part ways with Ngannou, bringing an end to their once-promising partnership.
Jon Jones and Greg Jackson
There was a time when Jon Jones and Jackson Wink MMA were inseparable. On paper, their partnership was a perfect match—one that propelled ‘Bones’ to dominance in the MMA world. Under the guidance of Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, Jones became an unstoppable force, securing multiple title defenses and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Greg Jackson and Jones were a tactical powerhouse, crafting brilliant game plans that led to victory after victory. One of their most famous moments came during Jones’ fight against Lyoto Machida. Machida’s counterstriking was giving the young 205lbs champ trouble, but a small adjustment from Jackson changed everything. ‘The Dragon’ was blitzing on the leg kicks. And so Jones faked the kick and smashed him with a punch. This came at the advice of to counter Machida’s counters. The result? Jones dropped Machida with a perfectly timed shot, then secured a standing guillotine that rendered him unconscious—a testament to their elite strategy and synergy.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 08: Jon Jones celebrates his victory over Dominick Reyes in their light heavyweight championship bout during the UFC 247 event at Toyota Center on February 08, 2020, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
However, outside the cage, Jones’ career was marred by controversy, and it was only a matter of time before his troubles caught up with him. The breaking point came in 2021. On the night he was inducted into the fight wing of the UFC Hall of Fame for his legendary outing against Alexander Gustaffson at UFC 165, Jones was arrested for a domestic incident involving his fiancée, Jessie Moses. The situation escalated quickly! Jones was out of control, detained by officers, infamously banging his head against a police car. He later posted a $16,000 bail, but the damage was done.
For Jackson Wink MMA, this was the final straw. The gym made the difficult decision to cut ties with Jones, banning him from training there. Moreover, Jackson went on the MMA hour and reflected on Jones’ behavior and stated that he won’t allow Jones until he got his act straight. This left the GOAT contender heartbroken and in a series of tweets, he expressed his disappointment, “definitely won’t be going back but I will continue to root for all the fighters that are training there. I do believe my training methods and sessions have improved significantly since changing environments. Grateful for all the time I got to spend there, everything has its time.”
Currently, Jones trains at Jackson’s MMA Acoma, a gym affiliated with Jackson but ran under coach Nick Urso. This fallout marked the end of an era—one that had brought unparalleled success but was ultimately overshadowed by controversy.
Colby Covington and American Top Team
Last but certainly not least is the explosive fallout between Colby Covington and his American Top Team (ATT) coaches—a breakup that turned ugly fast. It all started with rising tensions between Covington and several of his teammates, most notably Jorge Masvidal.
“That dude was never part of this team. He was just a f—ing cancer for the past three, four years,” Masvidal said in an interview with ESPN. “At the end of the day, he didn’t feel safe in here. I wonder why.”
Covington had been a part of ATT for eight years, training alongside some of the gym’s biggest stars, including Masvidal, former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. But after years of heated conflicts, ‘Chaos’ finally parted ways with ATT in 2020. According to Covington, it wasn’t just Masvidal—he claimed Poirier also played a role in his departure.
“A guy by the name of Dustin Soreier [sic],” Covington said, mocking Poirier’s name while speaking to TNT Sports. “He’s the one that got me kicked out of my old gym by crying and having feelings, saying, ‘Oh, Colby is a mean person. Kick him out of our gym,’ while we get locked in an Octagon to hurt each other in our underwear on Saturday nights. I would love to square up with Dustin Soreier, but he’s afraid of me and afraid of my shadow.”
Ultimately, fighter-coach relationships unravel for many reasons—whether it’s clashing egos, personal disputes, or fundamental differences in philosophy. Strickland’s split with Nicksick is just the latest in a long line of high-profile fallouts. What do you think about Strickland’s decision to part ways with his coach? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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