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Blackzilians

MMA training facility and team in South Florida

Summary

MMA training facility and team in South Florida

FieldValue
teamnameBlackzilians
imageBlackzilians logo.png
imagesize150px
trainers{{plainlist
dateestablished2011 (start)
2017 (defunct)
fmrtitleholders{{plainlist
schoollocationsBoca Raton, Florida
  • Neil Melanson
  • Henri Hooft
  • Greg Jones 2017 (defunct)
  • Rashad Evans
  • Miguel Torres
  • Ryan Jimmo
  • Vitor Belfort
  • Eddie Alvarez
  • Kamaru Usman

The Blackzilians was a professional team of fighters in mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, amateur wrestling and catch wrestling located in South Florida. The team had included former UFC champions Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Eddie Alvarez and Kamaru Usman.

History

Owned by Glenn Robinson, Blackzilians, started when MMA fighters Jorge Santiago, Danillo Villefort, Yuri Villefort, and Gesias Cavalcante left American Top Team. The name 'Blackzilians' was coined when Strikeforce Middleweight Danillo Villefort was looking through their management's website and pointed out to Robinson that every fighter (at the time) was Black or Brazilian.

It was reported on September 20, 2018, that Glenn Robinson, Blackzilians founder, had died of a suspected heart attack.

As of 2017, the Blackzilians as a gym is considered defunct. Many of its members have left to join Combat Club, now Kill Cliff Fight Club (founded by Blackzilians trainers Henri Hooft and Greg Jones) which is considered a successor to the Blackzilians.

Instructors

  • Henri Hooft, head and striking coach
  • Greg Jones, Wrestling coach
  • Neil Melanson, head grappling coach. His style is heavily influenced by the Hayastan school which mixes Catch as catch can wrestling with Judo and Sambo.
  • Jorge Santiago, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach

Notable fighters

  • Boxing
    • CUB Guillermo Rigondeaux (WBA, WBO, Summer Olympics)
    • CUB Idel Torriente (Summer Olympics)
  • Kickboxing
    • BRA Cosmo Alexandre (ONE FC, Bellator, K-1, It's Showtime)
    • USA Randy Blake (Glory, K-1)
    • ROM Daniel Ghiță (Glory, It's Showtime, SUPERKOMBAT, K-1)
    • SUR Murthel Groenhart (Glory, It's Showtime, K-1)
    • NED Robin van Roosmalen (Glory, It's Showtime, K-1)
    • TUR Gökhan Saki (Glory, It's Showtime, K-1)(UFC]
    • AUS Paul Slowinski (SUPERKOMBAT, K-1)
    • ROM Andrei Stoica (Glory, SUPERKOMBAT, K-1)
    • SUR Tyrone Spong (WSOF, Glory, It's Showtime, K-1)
    • NED Rico Verhoeven (Glory, It's Showtime, SUPERKOMBAT, K-1)
  • Mixed martial arts
    • USA Rashad Evans (UFC)
    • USA Anthony Johnson (UFC, WSOF)
    • BRA Thiago Silva (UFC, WSOF)
    • BRA Vitor Belfort (UFC, Affliction, Pride FC)
    • BRA Cezar Ferreira (UFC)
    • USA Eddie Alvarez (ONE FC, UFC, Bellator)
    • USA Matt Mitrione (Bellator, UFC)
    • USA Michael Johnson (UFC)
    • CAN Ryan Jimmo (UFC, MFC)
    • BRA Fabio Mello (Bellator FC, Pride FC)
    • BRA Marcus Aurélio (UFC, Pride FC)
    • BRA Jorge Santiago (UFC, Strikeforce, Sengoku)
    • AFG Siyar Bahadurzada (UFC, Sengoku, Shooto)
    • BRA Gesias Cavalcante (Strikeforce, Shooto, K-1)
    • BRA Guto Inocente (Strikeforce, UFC)
    • BRA Braulio Estima (ADCC)
    • USA Miguel Torres (UFC, WEC)
    • BRA Danillo Villefort (UFC, WEC, Strikeforce)
    • BRA Yuri Villefort (UFC, Strikeforce)
    • USA Abel Trujillo (UFC)
    • BRA Luiz Firmino (Pride FC, Shooto, DREAM)
    • CAN Claude Patrick (UFC, KOTC)
    • USA Ryan LaFlare (UFC)
    • BRA Gilbert Burns (UFC, BJJ World Champion)
    • FIN Tom Niinimäki (UFC)
    • SWI Volkan Oezdemir (UFC, SUPERKOMBAT, Bellator)
    • NED Alistair Overeem (Strikeforce, Pride FC, DREAM, UFC)
    • NED Stefan Struve (UFC)
    • NED Hans Stringer (UFC, WSOF)
    • NGA Kamaru Usman (UFC)
    • RUS/Chechnya Beslan Isaev (M-1 Global and ACB)
    • RUS/Chechnya Musa Khamanaev (M-1 Global Lightweight Champion and Combat Sambo World Champion)

References

References

  1. (2012-08-18). "Video: How the Blackzilians Got Its Name". Sherdog.com.
  2. (2018-09-20). "Blackzilians founder Glenn Robinson dead". MMAjunkie.
  3. Mindenhall, Chuck. (2017-01-16). "Rashad Evans cites 'drama' for reason 'there really is no Blackzilians' anymore".
  4. Bissell, Tim. (2017-01-17). "Source: Rumble, Struve, Chandler, and more all leaving Blackzilians".
  5. Time Till Next Fight. (2013-04-03). "Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist And Champion Guillermo Rigondeaux Joins The Blackzilians, Becomes The Team'S First Pro Boxer". BlackZilians.
  6. [http://www.blackzilians.com/fighters/27/25/Idel-Torriente.html Idel Torriente's profile] blackzilians.com
  7. [http://www.mmamania.com/2014/4/12/5607812/glory-15-randy-boom-boom-blake-talks-jcvd-chuck-norris-kickboxing GLORY 15: Randy 'Boom Boom' Blake talks Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, training with Tyrone Spong, and more!]
  8. [http://liverkick.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1321:daniel-ghita-moving-to-florida-to-train-with-overeem-and-qblackzilianq-team&catid=36:k-1 Daniel Ghita moving to Florida to train with Overeem and "Blackzilian" team] by Dave Walsh (liverkick.com) 24 February 2012
  9. "K-1 Champ Murthel Groenhart is Training with Alistair Overeem at Blackzillians".
  10. [http://www.fightnewsaustralia.com/paul-slowinski-to-debut-september-21-on-mma-downunder-4/ Paul Slowinski to debut in MMA September 21 on MMA Downunder 4]
  11. [http://www.kickboxingplanet.com/news/andrei-stoica-training-at-the-blackzilians/ Andrei Stoica training at The Blackzilians]
  12. (2012-01-27). "Tyrone Spong Returns to His Roots, Faces Melvin Manhoef This Weekend". MMAWeekly.com.
  13. (2013-11-17). ""Suga" Rashad Evans - Official UFC® Fighter Profile". [[Ultimate Fighting Championship.
  14. (25 August 2012). "Vitor Belfort Joins Blackzilians; Rashad Evans to Serve as Head Coach for UFC 152 Training Camp". MMA Fighting.
  15. (23 April 2013 }}{{dead link). "Shogun and Dida split, Mutante joins Blackzilians".
  16. (19 September 2012). "Belfort and the shelf life of a 'Phenom' - MMA Blog - ESPN". [[ESPN]].
  17. (3 September 2012). "Glenn Robinson: The Man Behind The Blackzilians". Bloody Elbow.
  18. [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/995982-the-blackzilians-a-family-of-world-class-coaches-and-fighters Meet the Blackzilians: A Family of World Class Coaches and Fighters] By Joshua Carey (bleacherreport.com) on December 23, 2011
  19. Imperial Martial Arts and Fitness Center. (2013-11-17). "Fabio Mello | Imperial Martial Arts and Fitness Center". Imperialathletics.com.
  20. Imperial Martial Arts and Fitness Center. (2013-11-17). "Marcus Aurelio | Imperial Martial Arts and Fitness Center". Imperialathletics.com.
  21. (2012-06-28). "Siyar Bahadurzada Joins Blackzilians". 5thRound.com.
  22. "Antes de voltar ao Strikeforce, Guto analisa duelo Belfort x Jones". TATAME.
  23. [http://www.blackzilians.com/fighters/15/25/Luiz-Firmino.html Luiz Firmino's profile] blackzilians.com
  24. [http://www.blackzilians.com/fighters/19/25/Claude-Patrick.html Claude Patrick's profile] blackzilians.com
  25. [http://www.blackzilians.com/fighters/43/25/Ryan-LaFlare.html Ryan LaFlare's profile] blackzilians.com
  26. [http://www.blackzilians.com/fighters/50/25/Tom-Niinimaki.html Tom Niinimäki's profile] blackzilians.com
  27. [http://www.blackzilians.com/fighters/16/25/volkan-oezdemir.html Volkan Oezdemir's profile] blackzilians.com
  28. [http://superkarate.ru/news/mixed-martial-arts/6711-beslan-isaev-blackzillians.html Beslan Isaev's profile] blackzilians.com
  29. [http://superkarate.ru/news/mixed-martial-arts/6711-beslan-isaev-blackzillians.html Musa Khamanaev's profile] blackzilians.com
Wikipedia Source

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