According to UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, the impetus of his leaving Team Alpha Male in favor of Elevation Fight Team was that the Colorado camp will be paying him "big money" to train there.
"T.J. left under the guise that he was going to be paid to train," Sonnen said on his podcast. "Do you guys understand how silly that is? Gyms don't succeed. Us in the business can tell you. Gym doors get locked up every week. The mats get sold, the ring gets torn down, the lease isn't paid.