Javier Mendez (mixed martial arts trainer)

Javier Mendez was born in Mexico and moved to the United States with his family at the age of 6. He was raised in San Jose, California and attended Andrew Hill High School.{{Cite web|date=January 2, 2015|title=San Jose gym among elite mixed-martial arts training camps|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2015/01/02/san-jose-gym-among-elite-mixed-martial-arts-training-camps/|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=East Bay Times|language=en-US|archive-date=October 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025053758/https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2015/01/02/san-jose-gym-among-elite-mixed-martial-arts-training-camps/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Emanuel|date=August 15, 2018|title=SanBenito.com {{!}} AKA the house of champions|url=https://sanbenito.com/aka-the-house-of-champions/|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=SanBenito.com|language=en-US|archive-date=October 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025055306/https://sanbenito.com/aka-the-house-of-champions/|url-status=live}} His father spent most of his money on alcohol and gambling and told Mendez that he would never amount to anything which gave Mendez motivation to achieve success. Like most of his peers of his generation, Mendez grew up admiring the late Bruce Lee.

Mendez started training in martial arts in 1978, studying the discipline of Tang Soo Do. From there, he went to West Coast Tae Kwon Do and trained under Scott Coker (former CEO of Strikeforce and former president of Bellator MMA).

{{Cite web|title=Javier Mendez: Learned kickboxing through Scott Coker - The Underground : The Underground|url=https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/javier-mendez-learned-kickboxing-through-scott-coker/|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=www.mixedmartialarts.com|date=March 24, 2013|language=en-US|archive-date=July 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716160344/https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/javier-mendez-learned-kickboxing-through-scott-coker|url-status=live}} Mendez started his kickboxing career in 1985 and shortly thereafter he established the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) where he held training sessions with a small group of students.{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://akathailand.com/about-us/|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=AKA Thailand|language=en-US|archive-date=January 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121005401/http://akathailand.com/about-us/|url-status=live}}

After fighting his way through the kickboxing ranks, Mendez won his first world championship in 1992 when he became the ISKA Light-Cruiserweight Champion. In 1995, Mendez defeated Conrad Pla (one of the founder of Tristar Gym) via split decision to win the vacant ISKA Light Heavyweight Championship.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D9IDAAAAMBAJ&q=conrad+pla+vs+javier&pg=PA96|title=Black Belt|date=1995|publisher=Active Interest Media|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en|access-date=February 14, 2021}}

In 1996, Mendez became exposed to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), when local UFC fighter Brian Johnston sought out Mendez to help him improve his kickboxing ability. That exposure led other fighters like to seek out Mendez as he rode the wave of MMA's growing popularity. Going forward Mendez stopped competing professionally as a fighter to become a full-time MMA coach.

Mendez would train his first UFC champion in 1997, when Frank Shamrock joined AKA. Mendez would be his trainer until 2003 where during that period Shamrock became the first UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and had remained undefeated.

Due to hearing about this successful partnership, B.J. Penn joined AKA in 2001 in preparation of his MMA career debut and would eventually become UFC champion in both the Lightweight and Welterweight divisions.{{Cite web|title=Lindland Defeats Hendersonat U.s. World Team Trials|url=http://fcfighter.com/lindland-defeats-hendersonat-u-s-world-team-trials/|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=Full Contact Fighter|archive-date=August 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808070220/https://fcfighter.com/lindland-defeats-hendersonat-u-s-world-team-trials/|url-status=live}}

In 2015, Mendez became the only trainer to have 3 concurrent UFC Champions (Cain Velasquez at heavyweight, Daniel Cormier at light heavyweight and Luke Rockhold at middleweight).

In November 2022, Mendez coached Usman Nurmagomedov to Bellator lightweight champion.{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.in/mma/story/_/id/35057122/usman-nurmagomedov-routs-patricky-freire-win-bellator-lightweight-title | title=U. Nurmagomedov routs Freire for Bellator title | date=November 19, 2022 | access-date=February 1, 2023 | archive-date=February 1, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201044135/https://www.espn.in/mma/story/_/id/35057122/usman-nurmagomedov-routs-patricky-freire-win-bellator-lightweight-title | url-status=live }}

In January 2023, MMAjunkie.com awarded Mendez and Khabib Nurmagomedov as 2022 coaches of the year.{{Cite web |date=January 4, 2023 |title=MMA Junkie's 2022 Coaches of the Year: Khabib Nurmagomedov and Javier Mendez |url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/mma-junkie-awards-coach-of-year-2022-ufc-bellator-khabib-nurmagomedov-javier-mendez |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=MMA Junkie |language=en-US |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113055111/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/mma-junkie-awards-coach-of-year-2022-ufc-bellator-khabib-nurmagomedov-javier-mendez |url-status=live }}

• Frank Shamrock{{Cite web|last=Snowden|first=Jonathan|date=July 23, 2011|title=Behind The Dana White-Frank Shamrock Twitter Beef|url=https://www.sbnation.com/mma/2011/7/23/2289794/behind-the-dana-white-frank-shamrock-twitter-beef|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=SBNation.com|language=en|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128202832/https://www.sbnation.com/mma/2011/7/23/2289794/behind-the-dana-white-frank-shamrock-twitter-beef|url-status=live}} (former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion, Interim King of Pancrase)
• Maurice Smith (former UFC Heavyweight Champion)
• B.J. Penn (former UFC Lightweight Champion and UFC Welterweight Champion)
• Cung Le (former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion){{Cite web|title=Cung Le - Style and Substance {{!}} UFC|url=https://www.ufc.com.br/news/cung-le-style-and-substance|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=www.ufc.com.br|date=September 14, 2018 |language=pt-br}}
• Cain Velasquez (former two time UFC Heavyweight champion){{Cite web|last=Jackson|first=Todd|title=AKA Head Coach Javier Mendez Talks UFC Heavyweight Champ Cain Velasquez|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/936632-aka-head-coach-javier-mendez-talks-ufc-heavyweight-champ-cain-velasquez|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=Bleacher Report|language=en|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128110359/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/936632-aka-head-coach-javier-mendez-talks-ufc-heavyweight-champ-cain-velasquez|url-status=live}}
• Daniel Cormier (former UFC Heavyweight Champion, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion){{Cite web|last=Marrocco|first=Steven|date=August 10, 2020|title=Javier Mendez: Daniel Cormier 'not performing like a 41-year-old,' could keep fighting if he wanted|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/8/10/21361442/javier-mendez-daniel-cormier-not-performing-like-a-41-year-old-could-keep-fighting-if-he-wanted|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=MMA Fighting|language=en|archive-date=October 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007014856/https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/8/10/21361442/javier-mendez-daniel-cormier-not-performing-like-a-41-year-old-could-keep-fighting-if-he-wanted|url-status=live}}
• Luke Rockhold (former UFC Middleweight Champion, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion){{Cite web|title=Rockhold confident it's his time to shine {{!}} UFC|url=https://www.ufcespanol.com/news/rockhold-confident-its-his-time-shine|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=www.ufcespanol.com|date=September 14, 2018|language=es|archive-date=August 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808070253/https://www.ufcespanol.com/news/rockhold-confident-its-his-time-shine|url-status=live}}
• Josh Thomson (former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion)
• Khabib Nurmagomedov (former UFC Lightweight Champion){{Cite web|date=October 28, 2020|title=Khabib Nurmagomedov Expresses Gratitude To Javier Mendez Following Retirement|url=https://www.fightsports.tv/khabib-nurmagomedov-expresses-gratitude-to-javier-mendez-following-retirement/|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=Fight Sports|language=en-US|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128091634/https://www.fightsports.tv/khabib-nurmagomedov-expresses-gratitude-to-javier-mendez-following-retirement/|url-status=live}}
• Islam Makhachev (current UFC Lightweight Champion){{Cite web |last=McAuley |first=John |date=October 18, 2022 |title=Javier Mendez: Islam Makhachev in his prime for UFC 280 and set to dominate at lightweight |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/ufc/2022/10/18/javier-mendez-islam-makhachev-in-his-prime-for-ufc-280-and-set-to-dominate-at-lightweight/ |access-date=October 23, 2022 |website=The National |language=en |archive-date=October 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023024505/https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/ufc/2022/10/18/javier-mendez-islam-makhachev-in-his-prime-for-ufc-280-and-set-to-dominate-at-lightweight/ |url-status=live }}
• Usman Nurmagomedov (current Bellator Lightweight Champion)
• Gadzhi Rabadanov (2024 PFL Lightweight Tournament winner)

• Herschel Walker (former professional football player, 1982 Heisman Trophy winner){{Cite web|last=Stoda|first=Greg|title=Commentary: Herschel Walker jumps into MMA the way he does everything — full tilt|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20100113/SPORTS/812037368|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=The Palm Beach Post|language=en|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129195515/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20100113/SPORTS/812037368|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|date=January 27, 2011|first=Mark|last=La Monica|title=Javier Mendez on the Herschel Walker fight|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/mixed-martial-arts/javier-mendez-on-the-herschel-walker-fight-1.2643279|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=Newsday|language=en}}

• MMA Junkie
• 2022 Coach of the Year w. Khabib Nurmagomedov

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Category:1970 births

Category:American male kickboxers

Category:Living people

Category:Mexican emigrants to the United States

Category:21st-century Mexican sportsmen

Category:Mixed martial arts trainers

Category:20th-century American sportsmen