From The OUTSIDER...

First off....PAUL WHERE ARE U ON HERE?!

I see people saying this and saying that about AKA based SOLELY on the success of the athlete's there, well I was there before all this success. The 1st thing I'll let the shit talkers know is that because it's a big team doesn't mean that everything there is good. Paul B, Jon Fitch, Mike Kyle (as crazy as he is), Dave V (as crazy as he is), and trainers Jerome Turcan and Andy Fong are probably the REALEST people there. I was there when Fitch and me were the only 1's rolling around together half the time and the only person who put in personal work with him was Lynn Schutlz. I was there when Mike Swick was still fucking kid lion not this stupid "quick" shit and he was a cool guy, to getting his head big from tuf, to being good old mike again. I was there when frank was gone, came back, and was gone again with the falling out with Jav. I was there when, did bob cook know how to put together a fight camp and have your ass in shape? fuck yea! but being in shape and having a TRAINER are two different things and SOME people didnt have trainers...actually MOST, as in any gym the people have their favorites. For a long time AKA was like that and when the people began to reap success from the growth of mma, good cardio, and the insane, better than most ufc, sparring sessions there....THEN they began to get trained personally. I'll tell you this, Javier Mendez is one of the most old school, REAL guys there is. When I was there and could no longer afford to go, he would let me in his doors for free and still leaves an open invite for me till this day. My dream has always been to go to japan and try my hand there. AKA was my 1st home from my budding friendship with Cleat, to my indoor fights with the punk, to my father son role with frank shamrock, to our falling out, etc and I will tell you that bob wouldnt mind kicking my ass while he told me..and i quote "if you fight you will never finish anyone...you have no finishing ability" and this is after me, a kid who didnt wrestle or do any shit growing up, would hang day in and day out with all the guys sparring, grappling, etc...I remember even one time Fitch (who is one of the few people always willing to help even back then) had me in a full out armbar that i got out of and my many chuck liddell get back to my feet wars we had. Bob could have gotten me to japan anytime he wanted but always had a reason never to help, got me in strikeforce anytime he wanted but would never help...always claiming "what have you done" or "i havent seen u" or "you have to come spar the world and show me what u have" while others at AKA commended me on my success thus far in this game we call mma as i train MYSELF 90% of the time with someone helping me here and there, while managing myself, trying to get my own sponsers, and fights...only person who never gave credit or tried to help was the one person who could....BOB.......COOK! If i had the power to make someone's dreams come true, i would. Look here Herschel walker, Cromier, and others who go to AKA who were wrestling stars or stars from another sport, you'll see bob put them in strikeforce their 1st fights! AKA caught on and began to build new fighters, but back then that wasnt even going on and like any gym you have to grow and learn i understand but a BIG gym, a NAME team, or a SUCCESSFUL team, does NOT mean everything is peaches and cream. My boy at ATT said he went thru the same things there and he is VERY successful, yet the "superstars" got the time over him he said. Most people at AKA are genuine i'll tell you that and they fixed most their flaws NOW and i love them all to death but I couldnt sit by and listen to people down talk Paul and uptalk bob when I was there and I know what can and may still....is still going on when it comes to SOME people. Everyone on the UG take what you will from everything I have written and I hope you get an inside and CLEARER perspective on the truth of how things in this game CAN work. late

www.therealfallenangel.com