When Conor McGregor dubbed TJ Dillashaw a "snake in the grass" during "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series last year, no one seemed as irritated as Cody Garbrandt.
In what was the most memorable part of the season, McGregor was giving opposing coach Urijah Faber a hard time over Dillashaw. He predicted the then-UFC champ was not long for Team Alpha Male, Faber's gym in Sacramento, California.
While Faber and other TAM members bickered with McGregor over Dillashaw's loyalty, cameras showed Garbrandt sitting in silence. When McGregor asked if anyone wanted to take the dispute further, Garbrandt answered the bell.
"I'll do something about it," he said.
Reality television ensued. Garbrandt stood and shoved McGregor in the chest. A "brawl" similar to those seen on baseball fields followed. Two guys being held back by teammates, shouting back and forth. You get the picture.
Not long after the scene was filmed, Dillashaw (in some ways) proved McGregor right. The first TAM member to ever win a UFC title announced he was leaving to train full time in Colorado. Again, Garbrandt took that departure harder than others.
"It made me look like an idiot for standing up for him," Garbrandt said. "I understand these guys have friendships but I love this team. When I came out here two years ago, it was my last-ditch effort to see if I could really pursue this career.
"This team saved my life when it comes to fighting and I don't want to see it go to s---."
Garbrandt (7-0) is poised for a big year in 2016 and intends to prove TAM isn't going anywhere.
Depending on how you look at it, TAM is either as healthy as ever or in a major transition. Faber is expected to fight for a UFC title in his next bout, but he's in the twilight of his career. Dillashaw is gone. Longtime member Joseph Benavidez says he's still with the team, but didn't train with them his last fight. TAM has gone through two head coaches in three years.
Garbrandt, who faces promotional newcomer Augusto "Tanquinho" Mendes (5-0) at UFC Fight Night on Sunday in Pittsburgh, admits last year was trying at times for the team, but believes things have fallen into place in recent months.
"There have been times where its like, 'Uh, we just want someone to drill with that we trust,'" Garbrandt said. "You want to know if you're out there getting your a-- beat that you can look to your corner and believe in them. It has been shaky since coach Duane [Ludwig's] departure, but Justin Buchholz just stepped up and he's a fantastic coach.
"Team Alpha Male is recharged in 2016. We didn't go anywhere. You've got people saying, 'Oh, everyone is leaving that team.' OK, people are leaving. If you don't want to be here, get the f--- out. We're like a college wrestling dynasty, we've taken a second to rebuild and now we've reloaded the gun."
Buchholz, 32, is a longtime TAM member and purple belt under Ludwig's striking system. He officially took over the head coach position this year. Additionally, Chris Holdsworth has put his fighting career on hold to focus on coaching jiu-jistu and Danny Castillo has done the same to work as TAM's wrestling coach.
In the past, active fighters would regularly run pro practices -- but that's no longer the case, says Buchholz. While he, Holdsworth and Castillo have not officially retired, they have committed to focusing only on coaching in the near future.
And although Buchholz just cornered Dillashaw in a UFC title fight last month, he says that won't be the case moving forward. He's also willing to corner against Dillashaw, if the situation calls for it.
"I would characterize the gym as a butterfly and we just broke out of that cocoon," Buchholz said. "I've never been more excited about the talent that's here and it's Team Alpha Male vs. everybody. That's the bottom line. TJ is like my little brother and I'd love to talk him into coming back, but if Cody were to come up and have to fight him? I have to corner our guy."
TAM vs. everybody. That has been Garbrandt's mindset since the beginning. And while he respects that the team line is blurred for some members who have been there before him, the 24-year-old's is clear.
"I'd love to be the first TAM champion with Buchholz as official head coach," Garbrandt said. "I had to go the back route in 2015, get my feet wet with two fights, let matchmaking do what it wanted to do. Now it's my time to showcase I'm not a prospect, I'm a contender."
