American Top Team joins with MAIA: Are they walking a slippery McDojo slope?

**bushi51** · Posted On: 11/07/2007 11:09pm

American Top Team has joined forces with MAIA (Martial Arts Industry Association, one of the leaders in McDojo training) to offer MMA training and teaching certifications to TMA schools looking to cash in on the recent success of MMA. Is this the first step to the McDojoing of MMA or is it a way to legitimize schools that would have flooded the market with crap MMA?

The ad reads:

Develop MMA techniques and skills to share with your students

Learn MMA techniques with Master Ricardo Liborio and the American Top Team

Get certified as an American Top Team instructor

You will recieve a full year of...

Authorization to promote ATT certified Instructors

and more.

Thoughts?

**ksel011** · Posted On: 11/07/2007 11:36pm

Get out from under my bridge?

**EternalRage** · Posted On: 11/08/2007 12:22am

I'd have to agree that it's the lesser of two evils. We've already started to see some evidence of mcdojos using the term "mixed martial arts", and then either feigning that the context in which they're using it is the literal sense or actually referring to the MMA combat sport and teaching something else.

At least this way, perhaps mcdojo "TMA"ers might get exposed to the training methods of MMA and actually be swayed to take it seriously and adopt them. Otherwise, it's basically feeding the crap in MA. Perhaps if they screened the schools/instructors and taught those who seemed serious from the start, it might work.

Isn't Anthony with ATT? Maybe we can get his viewpoint.

**PCH** · Posted On: 11/08/2007 12:29am

Liborio & ATT are awesome, but, yeah this doesn't sound that good.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 11/08/2007 9:39am

This is the same association The Armory is associated with, right?

**Pandinha** · Posted On: 11/08/2007 9:51am

Originally Posted by EternalRage

I'd have to agree that it's the lesser of two evils. We've already started to see some evidence of mcdojos using the term "mixed martial arts", and then either feigning that the context in which they're using it is the literal sense or actually referring to the MMA combat sport and teaching something else.

At least this way, perhaps mcdojo "TMA"ers might get exposed to the training methods of MMA and actually be swayed to take it seriously and adopt them. Otherwise, it's basically feeding the crap in MA. Perhaps if they screened the schools/instructors and taught those who seemed serious from the start, it might work.

Isn't Anthony with ATT? Maybe we can get his viewpoint.

I usually see them training on Saturdays with Liborio. Other than that, I couldn't tell you anthing about it. They are working on MMA, some BJJ for MMA. If I would make an estimate, I would say there's about 40 to 60 people on the mats with him, and about 3 or 4 other ATT MMA fighters/Instructors.

Even the most rudimentary training would be a step up in some cases, imho. I see MMA going the way of Workout Gyms. You'll have the hobbyiest going to a school that has an ATT Certified TMA instructor, and then you'll have the purists/hardcore who will skip that and go straight to an ATT Academy.

**GoldenJonas** · Posted On: 11/08/2007 11:37am

Originally Posted by "Pandinha" aka Anthony

I usually see them training on Saturdays with Liborio. Other than that, I couldn't tell you anthing about it. They are working on MMA, some BJJ for MMA. If I would make an estimate, I would say there's about 40 to 60 people on the mats with him, and about 3 or 4 other ATT MMA fighters/Instructors.

Even the most rudimentary training would be a step up in some cases, imho. I see MMA going the way of Workout Gyms. You'll have the hobbyiest going to a school that has an ATT Certified TMA instructor, and then you'll have the purists/hardcore who will skip that and go straight to an ATT Academy.

Agreed. Remember people, martial arts IS a business venture for the school owner.

Liborio, and the purples, browns, and blacks under him, are the real deal. The MMA fighter caliber coming out of ATT is second to none in the United States.

The only problem with expanding into other, broader ventures is a potential to loose the quality control which Liborio currently maintains over his instructors, his students, and, ultimately, his instructors students. It would be a shame to see the ATT name watered down through over-expansion, but, this is just an arm chair observation and a hypothetical as of right now.

Although, if you train at an ATT academy you are usually welcome to get on the mats at any other ATT academy; which is the true test of ability.

**mad_malk** · Posted On: 11/08/2007 4:22pm

Might i suggest a sublicenese named product for your instructer program. If you care for more information on how to set this up to minimize the negtive efeexts on ATT while maximizeing profit potential let me know. And my fee is cheap 3-2months of class's at the ATT school of my choice :oP