In what will undoubtedly come as a surprise to some, Din Thomas has decided to leave American Top Team.
Thomas has helped train and develop fighters at the gym in Coconut Creek for 19 years. While he was certainly considered to be a mainstay at ATT, Thomas felt it was time for a new chapter. The split was amicable.
Din Thomas Makes His Exit From ATT
Thomas told MMAFighting.com that after spending 19 years at ATT, he’s ready to do things his way.
“I just feel like it’s time for me to move on,” he said. “I was with them for 19 years. My justification is if Tom Brady can leave the Patriots after 20, I can leave ATT after 19. There’s a lot of fighters I want to work with, and I can’t get to them because of my affiliation. I want to be able to have more freedom to work with people and develop different people without having a structure behind me.”
ATT owner, Dan Lambert, expressed his appreciation and support for Thomas when MMAFighting reached out for comments.
“He was a great teammate and then a great coach,” ATT owner Dan Lambert told MMA Fighting via text. “I’m sure he will be very successful regardless of the path he is choosing.”
The news comes during a difficult time for MMA gyms around the world. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted many businesses. MMA gyms have had to shut down at least temporarily. While ATT is expected to do well once the dust settles, it’s still being hit hard just like any other business. ATT’s doors are currently only open to professional fighters and coaches.
Thomas will certainly have ample time to plan ahead for his next move. With things slowing to a crawl due to COVID-19 precautions, the now-former ATT coach may be able to game plan longer than he initially expected.
Are you surprised by Din Thomas’ decision to leave American Top Team?
