{{Short description|Mixed martial arts gym based in Arizona}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{MMA Training Associations |teamname = The MMA Lab |logo = MMA Lab Logo.svg |image = |image_size = |founder =Jason Beck |owners=John Crouch<br>Benson Henderson<br>Joe Ervin |dateestablished = {{Start date and age|2006|11|16}} |schoollocations = Glendale, Arizona, U.S. |titleholders= |fmrtitleholders= Benson Henderson<br>Sean O'Malley |website= {{URL|www.mmalab.com}} }}
'''The MMA Lab''' (also known as MMA Lab and The Lab) is a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym based in Glendale, Arizona. It has produced two UFC champions Benson Henderson (former UFC Lightweight Champion) and Sean O'Malley (former UFC Bantamweight Champion).
== History ==
According to ''Bloody Elbow'', MMA Lab was incorporated on November 16, 2006, with its two largest shareholders being Khonkhor Enterprises and JBeck Investments. Both were investment companies owned by Royce Gracie and Jason Beck respectively. Beck previously trained at a Gracie Academy and had expressed interest in opening his own gym in central Arizona. He later brought in his training partner and Gracie Academy instructor, John Crouch to join MMA Lab.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2016 |title=IRS: Royce Gracie's company fraudulently failed to report over $1.4 million in income |url=https://bloodyelbow.com/2016/05/11/royce-gracie-khonkhor-enterprises-irs-tax-fraud-ufc-bellator-mma-news/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Bloody Elbow |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Alam |first=Adnan |date=March 26, 2022 |title=Reputation of MMA Lab grows with recent success of fighters |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/03/25/mma-lab-grows-with-recent-success-of-fighters/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Cronkite News |language=en-US}}</ref>
In early 2012, Gracie and Beck transferred their ownership interest of MMA lab to Crouch, Benson Henderson and Joe Ervin.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Finley |first=Duane |title=The MMA Lab on the Rise & Building Champions |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1293782-the-mma-lab-on-the-rise-building-champions |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>
In early 2015, Gracie was involved in a tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service where it claimed Gracie and his wife fraudulently evaded paying over $1.1 million in personal income taxes from 2007 to 2012 via various means. It disallowed a 2011 Khonkhor expense deduction for $338,871 which was for MMA Lab having a net loss.<ref name=":0" />
In 2018, the MMA Lab facility was upgraded to have three training rooms, a full-sized octagon and a weight room for strength and conditioning.<ref name=":1" />
MMA Lab has currently produced three UFC champions: Mackenzie Dern(current UFC strawweight champion), Benson Henderson(former UFC lightweight champion) and Sean O'Malley(former UFC bantamweight champion).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |title=Mario Bautista Describes 'Humble' Sean O'Malley's Nature In The Gym |language=en-us |work=MMA News {{!}} UFC News, Results & Interviews |url=https://www.mmanews.com/news/mario-bautista-describes-humble-sean-omalley-nature-gym |access-date=November 12, 2023}}</ref>
== Notable fighters == {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * '''Benson Henderson'''<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> * '''Sean O'Malley''''''<ref name=":4" />''' * Jared Cannonier<ref name=":0" /> * The Korean Zombie<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=August 24, 2020 |title=Johnny Case discusses Korean Zombie camp |url=https://asianmma.com/johnny-case-says-he-had-no-idea-what-he-was-getting-into-when-he-signed-up-for-korean-zombie-camp/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Asian MMA |language=en}}</ref> * Mackenzie Dern<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2018 |title=Mackenzie Dern says MMA Lab coach asked her to leave the team |url=https://bloodyelbow.com/2018/05/03/ufc-mackenzie-dern-coach-john-crouch-invited-me-to-leave-mma-lab-mma-news/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Bloody Elbow |language=en}}</ref> (formerly) * Joe Riggs<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Finley |first=Duane |title=The Fighting Life: The Team Mentality of John Crouch and the MMA Lab |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2002676-the-fighting-life-the-team-mentality-of-john-crouch-and-the-mma-lab |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> * Mario Bautista<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> * Kyler Phillips<ref name=":0" /> * Jamie Varner<ref name=":2" /> * Efrain Escudero<ref name=":3" /> * John Moraga<ref name=":2" /> * Johnny Case<ref name=":5" /> * Steven Siler<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2014 |title=Video: Steven Siler hopes a Titan FC 32 title win tonight could lead to UFC return |url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2014/12/video-steven-siler-hopes-a-titan-fc-32-title-win-tonight-could-lead-to-ufc-return |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=MMA Junkie |language=en-US}}</ref> * Alex Caceres<ref>{{Cite web |last=McElroy |first=Jordy |title=UFC on Fox 10: What We Learned from Sergio Pettis vs. Alex Caceres |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1936674-ufc-on-fox-10-what-we-learned-from-sergio-pettis-vs-alex-caceres |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> * Bryan Barberena<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kontek |first=Riley |title=UFC 186 Preliminary Card Predictions |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2431375-ufc-186-preliminary-card-predictions |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> * Rick Story<ref>{{Cite web |title=UFC: Rick Story feels that training in Arizona paid off |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mma/2014/07/16/ufc-rick-story-the-mma-lab-glendale-arizona/12732343/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> {{div col end}}
== See also == *List of professional MMA training camps
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.mmalab.com}}
{{MMA Team List}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:MMA Lab}} Category:Mixed martial arts training facilities Category:2006 establishments in Arizona Category:Sports in Arizona