UFC Welterweight Duane Ludwig Named New Head Coach of Team Alpha Male

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UFC welterweight Duane Ludwig has been named the new head coach of Team Alpha Male.

“It’s flattering to have the request and good timing, as I’ll be out for at least a year,” Ludwig recently told Sherdog.com. “With that said, chances lead toward me stepping away from the actual fighting and starting to train the next generation. To be given a team like Alpha Male is a coach’s dream. The work ethic of great wrestlers with a more Dutch style of kickboxing, such as mine, is going to be fun to watch. Everyone at Alpha Male is already a great and successful mixed martial artist, so this can only get better.”

Founded in 2004 by ex-World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champ Urijah Faber, Team Alpha Male primarily trains out of Ultimate Fitness in Sacramento, Calif. In addition to “The California Kid,” the team also houses two more former UFC title challengers in Chad Mendes and Joseph Benavidez, as well as “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 runner-up T.J. Dillashaw.

“I'm really excited to have Duane Ludwig as the new addition to Team Alpha Male’s coaching staff. He will be stepping in as the head coach for the team full-time,” said Faber. “We have a ton of hungry up-and-comers, as well as a handful of some of the top fighters in the world. Duane makes a perfect fit with his expertise in standup and knowledge of everything MMA. In my opinion, the coaches of the future are going be competitors themselves. I’ve always been a fan of Duane’s fighting style. His personality fits our team, and he’s great at breaking down what he knows.”

A former ISKA muay Thai world champion, Ludwig also holds nearly 13 years of pro MMA experience to his credit. “Bang” made his Octagon debut in 2003 and returned to the UFC roughly three years ago following a run in Strikeforce. The 34-year-old has shifted between 155 and 170 pounds throughout his career, posting a 2-3 record since returning to welterweight in November 2010. The 35-fight pro lost his third straight bout on Sept. 29, when a knee injury ended his UFC on Fuel TV 5 contest with Che Mills just 2:28 into round one.