The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) is a mixed martial arts gym based in San Jose, California. It is one of the pioneering schools of mixed martial arts (MMA). In 2014, AKA opened the AKA Thailand gym in Phuket, Thailand. Prominent trainers include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Leandro Vieira, Bob Cook, Derek Yuen, Javier Mendez, and Andy Fong. Within the facility, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling and Boxing classes are taught. Additional programs include conditioning and circuit training with TRX Suspension and Combat Circuit. The AKA is one of the top professional MMA training camps.
Est. | 1985 |
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Founded by | Javier Mendez[1] |
Primary owners | Javier Mendez |
Primary trainers | Javier Mendez Bob Cook Rosendo Sanchez Leandro Vieira Daniel Cormier |
Prominent fighters | Daniel Cormier Khabib Nurmagomedov Islam Makhachev Usman Nurmagomedov B.J. Penn Cain Velasquez Luke Rockhold Josh Thomson Jon Fitch Mike Swick |
Training facilities | San Jose, California, U.S. Phuket, Thailand |
Website | www.akakickbox.com |
In 2008, the AKA was involved in a brief dispute with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White over the exclusive license rights for a UFC video game.[2] Members of the AKA who were signed with the UFC, including Jon Fitch, Christian Wellisch, Josh Koscheck, and former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, refused to sign an exclusive lifetime contract for their video game licenses over to the UFC, causing them to be cut from the UFC's roster. Within 24 hours, the dispute was resolved and all fighters signed back into the organization.[3]
AKA has also been criticized by MMA fans and journalists, as well as by Dana White, for what is perceived as an excessively high rate of training injuries leading to fight cancellations among its stable of fighters.[4]