One of the premier camps in MMA appears to be on the verge of splitting up or capitulating all together following a revealing interview by Rashad Evans ahead of the public departure of head striking coach Henri Hooft.
The Blackzilians team has some of the best fighters in the world including Anthony Johnson, Rashad Evans, Michael Johnson and Michael Chandler to name just a few. The team was even featured on a recent season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ where they went up against Florida neighbours American Top Team. Yet now it appears the team might be coming to an end.
“The truth of the matter is, the team is splintered, the team is fragmented,” Evans told The MMA Hour podcast. “It just became a very hard thing for Glenn to kind of keep his grasp as far as keeping everyone together. Henri [Hooft] wanted to throw his brand into his own thing and it just wasn’t matching up with where Glenn wanted to go.
“That’s part of the fragment, but another part of it was that we didn’t have a gym anymore. Our gym was sold, and Glenn was supposed to build another gym and I guess they moved into a temporary gym.
“There was some kind of falling out with the temporary gym, so then part of the team stayed at the temporary gym and more than half of the team went with Henri. I was one of those guys that went with Henri.”
Evans then put the proverbial nail in the coffin by claiming as of right now, the gym is done. “Now, the state of the Blackzilians… I guess there really is no Blackzilians,” he said. “It’s all in the namesake, but for the most part everybody — or most of the people who was training with the Blackzilians — we’re still training together.”
Following the interview Henri Hooft took to social media and formally announced his departure from the team.
“After 6 years working with a great team the Blackzilians I am going my own way,” Hooft wrote on Instagram. “I had a great time met some cool people and learned a lot. Now it’s time for hkickboxing and new challenges that come my way.”
The Blackzilians were shortlisted for ‘Gym of the Year’ at the Eighth Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards for 2015.
Blackzilians owner Glenn Robinson has yet to make any comment.