Teammates Fighting A Taboo At Cesar Gracie Academy

Nick Diaz (left) and Gilbert Melendez (right)

Cesar Gracie teammates won’t fight each other

There’s been a lot made about teammates fighting each other especially with bigger training facilities emerging in recent years drawing elite level fighters.

Teammates have fought before, and it creates an awkward atmosphere inside a gym, or one fighter leaves to train elsewhere for that fight. We’re seeing it play out right now with Team Greg Jackson’s Rashad Evans and Jon Jones.

Cesar Gracie trained Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez say they’d never fight a teammate and break that code of unity.

“(Evans and Jones) are not real training partners, though,” said Diaz. “You have to understand. They’re like ten years apart for one, or something like that.

“They didn’t grow up training together, and that guy (Jones) is just brand new into the sport. He’s just doing whatever,” continued Diaz. “I’ve got training partners, and I’ve got what works and what got me there, and that’s my team.

“That’s a disgusting thought to have to fight my brother.”

Outside of the loyalty and bond created throughout the years, it’s not something Diaz or Melendez could be paid enough to do.

“They don’t even pay me close to enough money to think about that sort of thing,” stated Diaz. “They pay me way too much money, but not enough as far as I’m concerned.”

The Strikeforce welterweight champion says “nothing” could be offered to make him fight a teammate, who he considers literally family.

Cesar Gracie teammate and Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez shares Diaz’ views.

“It’s more than training partners. We’re a family. Someone like Nick, Nate (Diaz) and Jake (Shields), they all helped me become the fighter I am,” said Melendez. “How am I going to use these skills that they taught me against them? We helped each other get better. It’s just not right.”

If the scenario presented itself, Melendez said he’d take a pay cut to fight someone else instead.

“If you’re turning around and offering me ten million dollars to fight my boy, than I’m sure there’s going to be somebody to offer me eight million to fight somebody else. I’ll definitely take a pay cut or whatnot,” he said.

“It runs deeper than money or team. It’s family and loyalty.