Gym Profile: Chemistry between 'monsters' is key for Fortis MMA
Welcome to Gym Profile, a recurring series by senior MMA news editor James Lynch highlighting some of the top gyms in mixed martial arts.
Fortis MMA is a 7,000-square-foot facility in Dallas that was founded in 2016 by head coach Sayif Saud and three-time NBA All-Star Deron Williams. Notable UFC fighters from Fortis MMA include Uriah Hall, Geoff Neal, and Diego Ferreira.
Foundation of Fortis MMA
Saud, 39, was a welterweight fighter out of Jackson/Wink MMA Academy and retired early due to injuries. He wanted to stay involved with martial arts, however, which prompted his move from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Dallas.
"I had some sponsors here and I had no money when I got done fighting - the same story as a lot of people," Saud told theScore. "I came here because I knew I could train some people and figure things out. I had the vision of opening the gym, but I didn't know how that was going to happen."
While coaching at another gym and searching for jiu-jitsu mats for a client, Saud met another owner.
"They found this gym that had just opened up and I went in there and the owner (had a) big cage, everything," Saud recalled. "And he said, ‘Do you have any amateur MMA experience? ... Do you have any pro MMA experience?' I was like, (yes)," Saud said.
He added, "That's back when (Jackson/Wink) didn't have so many people coming in and out. They didn't have the dorms. So there weren't as many people coming from there. It was a good credential to have and so I ended up coaching at that gym. I brought Greg (Jackson) in, brought Rashad (Evans) in and brought all the people that helped me, to try to give back."
As Saud continued building his team, it eventually outgrew the space. He bought the Fortis MMA building in 2015 and spent about a year and a half on renovations.
"We did a ton of construction and customization of that space. It's really kind of unique," Saud said. "I wanted it to be different than any other gym in the world and I think we accomplished that. We ended up opening at the very end of 2016 in December."
One thing that makes Saud's gym different is the proportion of homegrown talent. Unlike other camps that bring fighters in, Fortis MMA prides itself on developing Texas athletes from the ground up.
"The only fighters that aren't from Texas are Macy Chiasson, but I got her when she was 2-0 before 'The Ultimate Fighter,' then Uriah Hall and Bea Malecki," Saud said. "But basically our whole roster is all homegrown. And I think that in that process, we all got so close because we climbed the mountain together. And I'm not saying it doesn't happen for other teams, but for us, it was such a unique experience for everyone to grow together at the same time."
In 2018, the team went 16-4 overall, while in 2019, the team boasted a 19-5 record. Initially, Fortis MMA didn't have a single fighter on the UFC roster; now, the gym boasts 14.
Full UFC fighter roster
- Uriah Hall (15-9) - middleweight
- Geoff Neal (13-2) - welterweight
- Diego Ferreira (17-2) - lightweight
- Ryan Spann (17-5) - light heavyweight
- Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-1) - welterweight
- Steven Peterson (18-9) - featherweight
- Charles Byrd (10-6) - middleweight
- Kennedy Nzechukwu (7-1) - light heavyweight
- Alonzo Menifield (9-0) - light heavyweight
- Alex Morono (17-6, NC) - welterweight
- Miles Johns (10-1) - bantamweight
- Austin Lingo (7-1) - featherweight
- Macy Chiasson (6-1) - TUF winner, bantamweight
- Bea Malecki (3-0) - bantamweight
Notable prospects
- Elijah Johns (6-1) - lightweight
- Ramiz Brahimaj (8-2) - welterweight
- Steven Nguyen (6-1) - featherweight
- JP Buys (8-2) - bantamweight
- Cheyanne Buys (4-1) - strawweight
Fortis MMA also boasts a wealth of up-and-coming talent, including Miles Johns' younger brother Elijah, who has cut his teeth in the LFA promotion.
"I look at Miles (and) sometimes I go, '(Elijah) might be better than you,' and Miles goes, 'I know,'" Saud said. "To be fair, Miles puts a whipping on E.J. still. ... But E.J., man ... he is dynamic and he's got some tools. I mean, he is an impressive kid. He's so tough and so strong and so mentally strong because he just adapted to his environment."
Whether it's a prospect or UFC standout, the team prides itself on everyone working together to find success in the cage. That chemistry is a big reason why fighters like Ferreira make a grueling nine-hour drive every week to train there.
"We just got a lot of monsters over there," Saud said. "And the beautiful thing is, you know, everybody is kind of there for the same goal. There are no egos in that gym. It really is a great environment."
Look for the full video interview with Saud this week on theScoreMMA Podcast. In the meantime, subscribe to theScoreMMA YouTube channel here.