Duane 'Bang' Ludwig in limbo after Team Alpha Male coaching notice goes public
Team Alpha Male coach Duane Ludwig said he had decided to start his own gym long before he gave notice to Team Alpha Male head Urijah Faber.
But his timeline for striking out on his own has been moved up now that his departure has been made public.
“It wasn’t f–king supposed to be like this, man,†Ludwig told MMAjunkie on Wednesday afternoon following word of his departure via “UFC Tonight.â€
“Bang†said he met this morning with Faber to reveal his plans to return to his home state of Colorado and to assure he wouldn’t miss out on upcoming training camps for team members.
“I’m not going to bounce on anybody’s fight camp,†he said. “Then he f–king went and told the team and did a press release before I knew. I’m like, ‘What the hell?’â€
According to Ariel Helwani on “UFC Tonight,†Ludwig will remain on as coach until May 24. A posting on Team Alpha Male’s website lists an opening for a head coach. Faber did not respond to a call requesting comment.
Ludwig said he’ll train a handful of the team’s fighters who are appearing in UFC events over the next two months, but added his return to his home state to start his own business is now “up in the air.â€
“That’s why it was a bit sudden, because I was just giving Urijah the heads up; I didn’t really have much planned,†he said. “I think he kind of jumped (the gun).â€
The coach nonetheless intends to keep an open door to future work with the team and said he’ll gladly work in Sacramento if asked. He said Team Alpha Male fighters are also welcome to train with him in Colorado. But moving forward, he said, his priority is creating a source of income not dependent on his physical health.
“I’ve been working for other businesses since I was 15, and it’s just time I do my own thing, man,†Ludwig said. “I gave Sacramento a year-and-a-half of my life and coaching. If I got hurt on this job, I would have no more income. There’s no residual income here, and I’m just at the point in my life where I’ve got to set up a residual business for myself.
“I’m still working paycheck to paycheck. I’ve got to set up a business; that’s just the smartest move. Plus, Colorado’s home. I’ve got to get my family back and get my life situated again. I’ve got to be smart about my finances, and right now, this isn’t a smart thing to do.â€
Ludwig (21-14), 35, retired from active competition in 2012 with an injury TKO loss to Che Mills at UFC on FUEL TV 5, which marked his third straight loss. A protege of Bas Rutten, he made his MMA debut in 2000 and fought in kickboxing and MMA bouts for more than 12 years.
“I’m still going to have an open window for them to come train with me and to bring me out for training camps and seminars and stuff,†he said of his relationship with Alpha Male. “They’re still going to be an affiliate of mine with the ‘Bang Muay Thai System.’ It’s just time to open my own business.â€
