Best of the Decade: 10 best MMA teams/camps
10. BLACK HOUSE – RIO de JANIERO, BRAZIL 9. XTREME COUTURE – LAS VEGAS 8. THE GRACIE FAMILY – WORLDWIDE…
10. BLACK HOUSE – RIO de JANIERO, BRAZIL
9. XTREME COUTURE – LAS VEGAS
8. THE GRACIE FAMILY – WORLDWIDE
7. JACKSON’S SUBMISSION FIGHTING – ALBUQUERQUE
6. AMERICAN KICKBOXING ACADEMY — SAN JOSE
5. AMERICAN TOP TEAM – COCONUT CREEK, FLORIDA
4. MILETICH FIGHTING SYSTEMS – IOWA
3. TEAM QUEST – OREGON
Of all the American teams this camp had the most impact worldwide behind the success of Matt Lindland, Randy Couture and Dan Henderson. There are now several Team Quests up and down the west coast. The camp has produced or worked with Chris Leben, Chael Sonnen, Ryan Schultz, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Nate Quarry, Ed Herman, Krzysztof Soszynski and the late Evan Tanner.
2. BRAZILIAN TOP TEAM – RIO de JANIERO
This was one of the most successful offshoots of the Gracie family. Libório, Mário Sperry and Murilo Bustamante set up shop in April of 2000. The Nogueira brothers, carried the banner along with Sperry and Bustamante and Allan Goes while they were active fighters. They also produced young studs like Ricardo Arona, Filho and Vitor Belfort. They had an intense rivalry with Chute Boxe which came to a head in PRIDE in 2005 when Arona upset Wanderlei Silva to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the finals of the middleweight tournament. Chute Boxe took the honors with a Rua win. There are now offshoot gyms in Canada, California, Texas, Massachusetts, England, Hong Kong, Australia and Belgium.
1. CHUTE BOXE – CURITIBA, BRAZIL
Opened in 1978 under the tutelege of Rafael Cordeiro and Rudimar Fedrigo, it
was the gym in the late 90’s and early 2000’s mainly because of Wanderlei Silva’s amazing PRIDE run from 2000-2004. Silva ripped off 16 wins in 18 fights (one draw, one no contest). The fighters were known for their vicious striking, knees and kicks. Other prominent fighters who got their start with Chute Boxe include Shogun Rua, Murilo Ninja Rua, Anderson Silva, Jean Silva, Cristiane Cyborg Santos, Evangelista Cyborg Santos, Alves, Gabriel Gonzaga, Asseurio Silva, Elvis Schembri and Fabricio Werdum. They had intense rivalries with Brazilian Top Team and Hammer House led by Mark Coleman. The team has lost much of its might since the departure of the Rua Brothers and Silva.
