UFC 181’s Travis Browne explains decision to leave Team Jackson-Winkeljohn

After suffering a loss in the most important fight of his career, Travis Browne decided to make some major changes.

The veteran UFC heavyweight departed his longtime home at Team Jackson-Winkeljohn and is now training at Glendale Fight Club under the watchful eye of Edmond Tarverdyan, who’s perhaps best known as coach to UFC women’s bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey.

Following a lopsided decision loss in a No. 1 contender bout with Fabricio Werdum earlier this year, Browne felt it was time for a change of scenery. He said he wasn’t upset with his previous conditions. Instead, he said it’s simply time to pursue something different.

“It’s one of those things where this is what I need as an athlete right now,” Browne told MMAjunkie. “(I’ve got) nothing bad at all to say about the Jackson-Winkeljohn camp. Coach (Greg) Jackson, coach (Mike) Winkeljohn really understand that about this sport. If you look them in the eye and say, ‘Coach, this is what I’m feeling,’ they can’t deny you because you’re the athlete who goes in there. But coach Edmond has been amazing.”

Fighters change training camps all the time. But for a top contender like Browne, who was essentially built from the ground up at the New Mexico-based gym, to leave the camp raised some eyebrows.

“Some people have criticized me moving because I lose the training partners and coaching there,” Browne said. “I’m a pretty level-headed guy, and I understand what I’m getting myself into. Jackson’s MMA is one of the best camps in the world, so it says a lot about me to move this camp and work with coach Edmond. I’ve always been able to go in there and just mess somebody up, but I’m really learning the art of fighting.

“With coach Jackson and coach Wink, they really explored my athletic side. With coach Edmond, we’re really exploring the technical side of my game and learning the differences and more structure. I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse; it’s just another avenue to reach my goal.”

One of the most attractive aspects of training with Tarverdyan is his ability to teach boxing, Browne said. The fighter, who’s ranked No. 5 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings, saw the improvement in Rousey’s striking under Tarverdyan’s tutelage and was eager to learn similar tactics.

“I saw Ronda come through and how much she’s grown as a fighter and as a striker,” Browne said. “That was my deciding factor, and that’s what I needed in my arsenal. I sought him out. I saw what I needed, and he was the man to do it. He’s a very straight up, honest man, and that’s what I needed in a coach and a leader.

“It’s a different style of training, and it’s to further my athletic ability as a fighter. That was the deciding factor. The knowledge that coach Edmond has and he’s sharing with me and teaching me has really – I’m dumbfounded. I feel like I’m starting all over five years into my career.”

Browne (16-2-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC) believes it will pay off on Dec. 6 when he meets Brendan Schaub (10-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC 181 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center. The heavyweight affair airs on the pay-per-view main card following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Schaub is one of the more outspoken fighters on the UFC roster and hasn’t censored his opinion regarding Browne’s decision to switch camps. Schaub hosts a podcast for FOX Sports and recently said he’s not fond of Browne and believes it’s a mistake to leave his longtime gym.

Browne, though, warns his future opponent to focus on what’s going to happen inside the octagon at UFC 181, not what’s going on outside of it.

“If I rub him the wrong way, I really don’t care,” Browne said. “I’m not worried about his jiu-jitsu. I’m not worried about his striking. I couldn’t care less where he’s at in his camp, and he shouldn’t care about where I’m at in mine. We’re fighters, and at the end of the day, that cage door is going to get closed, and a lot of stuff goes out the window when that happens.”

Browne was one win away from a UFC heavyweight title fight in April. He fell short, but has every intention of climbing back to that same position. Except this time, he said, he wants to make sure he gets over the hump.

The 32-year-old is certain he’ll eventually dethrone reigning heavyweight titleholder Cain Velasquez if given the opportunity. Now in the right situation with Tarverdyan in his corner, Browne said all the pieces are in place for a successful run at the belt.

“I do (have the tools to beat Velasquez),” Browne said. “I’m developing those tools as we speak. This is my road. This is my journey, and I’m taking it one step at a time. I’m glad I lost to a person like Werdum, because going out and my road back to the title is going to be that much sweeter. I’m getting better every day.

“I’ve been in this sport for maybe a quarter of the time these guys have been wrestling or boxing or kickboxing or MMA in general. Total time I’ve had in this sport is five-and-a-half years. I’m getting better every day. If you want to fight me you better fight me now because I’m going to be a monster in a short time to come.”

For more on UFC 181, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.