Chad Mendes: We're all still going to be buddies with T.J. Dillashaw

Apparently Chad Mendes doesn't feel exactly the same way as Team Alpha Male head Urijah Faber when it comes to the departure of UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw. As you likely know by now, Dillashaw decided to migrate to a new team in Colorado to work more closely with former TAM head trainer Duane Ludwig. Faber and Ludwig aren't fans of each other, and now Dillashaw is persona non grata at Team Alpha Male due to his defection, according toTJ.

Mendes sees things a little differently though, based on an interview with Fighters Only. The top featherweight didn't actually think Dillashaw would make the move, but says the gym is doing okay:

"Everybody’s fine. The gym’s really busy right now with a whole bunch of guys preparing for fights so we’re just kind of focusing on that. Obviously. it’s a tough situation and it’s something that, well, it sucks. And it’s gotten to us all a little bit. But we all just have to realize that we each have a task at hand and we’ve got to focus on those fights."

"Honestly, I didn’t think he would ever leave," he adds. "He has been going back and forth and training in Colorado with Duane (Ludwig) a lot, so… Obviously it’s something we all thought might happen. But that doesn’t mean we weren’t in shock when it actually did. But it’s done now and there’s nothing we can do about it."

He also said that the TAM fighters are still going to be friendly with the champ:

"We're all still going to be buddies with TJ. He made the decision to leave and he believes that's what he needs to be able to stay on top. And he's a grown ass man so he can make his own choices. He's going to be missed though. But we've all got to just remain focused and keep working towards our own goal: to become champions."

That seems like a much more level approach to the situation than the one Faber has taken. Mendes worked with Ludwig a lot as well, so he perhaps has a unique perspective in the team. He is set to face off with Frankie Edgar in the main event of the TUF 22 Finale on December 11th.