The 2017 Heavies Awards - Best Coach of the Year - Winner: Duane "Bang" Ludwig

[Paralakz]

With your appreciation for the intangibles, I'd love to hear who in the end gets your nod and why.

I legit took the entire weekend to decide before I voted because I think coaches are the linemen of the UFC. They only get recognition when their fighter wins and they get ignored or shit on otherwise; yet, in both cases, the "star" athlete can not perform at the same level with the wrong coach (or lineman).

So, after much thought, it didn't actually come down to the fighters and their relative improvements for me, but rather their performances this year.

3: Firas Zahabi - GSP had one fight (after a four year layoff) in which he fought what many people consider to have been the perfect matchup for him. Rory also only fought once and fought a guy who, aside from on the feet, doesn't belong anywhere near a cage with Rory.

2: Duane Ludwig - Dillashaw; what more can I say? That kid has grown leaps and bounds under Duane and it all culminated in him beating former teammate Cody Garbrandt who was coming off of a star-making performance against Dominick Cruz. It's hard not to look at that pairing and vote for Duane alone. Then we consider Matt Brown's absolute melting of Diego Sanchez, and Duane didn't have a bad 2017.

1: Rafael Cordeiro - In the end, it did boil down to this year. It's hard to edge to Duane based on the intangibles when you have RDA, Werdum and Gastelum. In terms of relative improvement, RDA and Werdum have improved by miles under his training. While neither of them improved to the degree that Dillashaw did IMHO, between the two of them it's enough to draw the race closer. However, RDA's 2017 is the reason I'm giving it to him. For him to go up in weight and absolutely lay waste to everyone he's seen, including a complete dismantling of Robbie Lawler is insane.

The intangibles are how I eliminated Firas and what made it hard to decide between Duane and Rafael. However, I can't edge it to Duane on the strength of 1.5 wins and one fighter's dramatic growth when Rafael has a year of fine performances to fall back on and the growth RDA and Werdum have both shown.

Rafael by split decision.

 

[The Natural Born Runner]

I feel like there should have been more choices, but I went with Ludwig.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

RDA does not train with Rafael anymore...

 

[Valhoven]

Reckoned he part-time camped or consulted with Rafael in 2017 after having left Kings, as still today unable to open up a gym his own. Either way, I asterisked his entry under Cord. and appreciate the opportunity to update OP. Duane's capturing near 50% of the vote looks to leave its discussion more or less immaterial.

e/ Reads nowadays by design that dos Anjos represents himself while still affiliating with Evolve. Wish him all the best and a shot at WW gold in the pipeline.

 

[Th3Sav4ge]

props to these threads. alot of work went in. gj mods

 

[Valhoven]

props to these threads. alot of work went in. gj mods

 

[Ozze]

Cordeiro with RDA for the win!

 

[Psychedelic]

Tough call between boxing gods Edmund Targaryen and Jon Kavasnawgh.

 

[rmongler]

In my opinion ATT has been the most successful single camp for a while now. You see guy's out of that house all over the place in top tens in different divisions. They always come well prepared for their fights, particularly with regards to strong wrestling. They've been ruling the roost at welterweight holding the strap for years now too.

Robbie Lawler had a renaissance after moving there, whether you like him or not (i don't) Woodley still managed to beat 3 different guys who are the best in the division to hold his strap, and more recently, Kyoji Horriguchi just pulled off an extremely impressive feat by winning the eight man Rizin Bantamweight tournament as basically a jumped up flyweight.

Personally i find it very suspect if a coach only has one (1) guy that makes the big time; to me maintaining a number of fighters who have good success is much more impressive and a much more reliable indicator that it's the coach who is adding value and not just hanging onto the coattails of a guy who's own greatness is carrying him too the top. Cus D'Amatto made several champion boxers before he took Tyson under his wing.

Mike Brown is certainly coach of the year.

 

[Askafan]

Voted for Dewey Coooper, lol, not much choice though

 

[Dontfight]

...

Well done presentation, I didnt even know about Dewey Cooper

 

[Valhoven]

Well done presentation, I didnt even know about Dewey Cooper

Cheers, mate. Learned a lot myself throughout the selection process. We dork out over fighters themselves but rarely applaud the conductors driving the trains.

On Dewey, I'm surprised more Kevin Lee fans didn't figure into his tally. But with the final 24 upon us, looks to be Duane walking away with gold.

 

[Streeter]

Write in vote for Edmond here

 

[JayPettryMMA]

So @Valhoven, what do we have? Who's the Sherdog choice for coach of the year (I know, I can read the poll, but for dramatic effect)? Do you agree?

 

[Valhoven]

Well, @jeicex, after careful review I believe we have a clear winner for 2017 COTY...

 

[Valhoven]

Basic cable:

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Spoiler: HBO

 

[JayPettryMMA]

 

[Valhoven]