""I first started training at The Academy, popping in and out in college was like 2011 through 2014. During that time, I think it was kind of like the end of another era like that. There was a lot of guys like Nik Lentz, Jacob Volkmann, Sean Sherk were leaving - Rose Namajunas. They were kind of on their tail end of their career or moving locations.""
""I almost like to think like, okay, everybody kind of graduated from that. I was like the lower classmen, and I was able to kind of climb the ranks with a lot of bodies for sure, but not a lot of high level people around me.""
""I got a roster full of guys who are anywhere from 135lbs to 155lbs that are at the highest levels. Those are the names that you mentioned, the Noah Gasho's, the Cannon Swanson's, the Tyree [Overton]s - there's a lot of guys that are that I'm in the trenches with every single day.""
John Castaneda began training at The Academy Minnesota around 2011, witnessing the departure of notable fighters like Nik Lentz and Rose Namajunas. This transition left him with fewer high-level sparring partners, creating challenges in his training. However, the gym has since evolved, attracting younger, high-level fighters. Castaneda now trains alongside a talented roster, which has significantly enhanced his training experience and personal growth as a fighter.
Read at Cageside Press
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