“I Want to Move On My Life…”: After Colby Covington, UFC Champ Speaks the Truth About Leaving American Top Team

Training gyms are considered sacred by UFC fighters. It is a place where they go to equip themselves physically as well as mentally to be able to overcome their opponents. As much as UFC fighters love spending time at the bag, some are less than happy about their gym and find themselves in a bit of a predicament, for varying reasons of course.

One of the most dominant fighters in the history of Women’s UFC, Amanda Nunes, is one such fighter who hung her towel at the gym back in 2022. She has reigned as the UFC Women’s Bantamweight and Featherweight champion, setting herself apart from everyone else on the roster. However, despite the success she achieved through training at her former gym, the champion decided to venture out on her own.

Nunes split from ATT – The start of something new

The ferocious ‘Lioness’ quit the famed American Top Team (ATT) gym back in 2022 with the intention of starting her own gym. Following her loss to Julianna Pena in 2021, the fighter found herself looking for ‘something more’ and found her calling in the process of setting up her own temple of training.

In a recent, exclusive interview with ESPN MMA, Amanda Nunes once again, opened up about her reasons behind walking out of the ATT gym. “Dont get me wrong you know, I guess I want to move on my life. Its not – nothing that’s what’s wrong that I just wanna like move on, you know! See what is there in my own.” said The Lioness. 

“I always dream to gym, you know. I got everything, you know, always like… We did it together, but like, something in my heart, in my mind tell me to move on – in my own, you know.” she continued as the interviewer listened attentively. 

“I’m a lioness – I gotta eat I gotta hunt all the time so after that fight that I lost to Julianna, all everything come back to me”, said Nunes, talking about her future at the UFC and her vision for the game. “Now I’m here to defend my belt once again and move on” added the champion, talking about her upcoming fight with Irene Aldana at UFC 289, scheduled for June 11. 

Initially, Nunes was to face Julianna Pena at UFC 289. However, her dream for a trilogy fight was forestalled as Irene Aldana was slated to challenge the champion in place of Pena at the same event.

Dive Deeper – Retirement Suspected After Amanda Nunes Refuses to Fight Irene Aldana: “Only Got a Couple Left”

First Colby now Nunes – Yet another walkout story?

Amanda Nunes had her reasons for calling it quits at the ATT. But a lot of people have wondered why former UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington packed his bags and walked out of ATT. In an interview with MMA Junkie, the former champion divulged all the details. “It just became too drama-filled and too negative energy-filled. Every time I was walking in for training camps, I could feel the jealousy. I could feel the hate and that type of negative energy. It wears you down and you can’t truly be at your best when you’re dealing with that day in and day out.” said Covington.

With two big names walking out of the ATT gym, one cannot help but wonder – where is it all going wrong? Is it the ego? Or did these two really want to do things differently? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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