Corey Hill Explains Split From Matt Hughes' Fight Team

When “The Ultimate Fighter 5” cast member Corey Hill decided not to join an upstart fight team created by Matt Hughes (even though he planned to), he left on good terms — and he stressed that his decision was simply a matter of personal preference.

Back in August, Hughes — the UFC’s former longtime welterweight champion — decided to split from his longtime home at Pat Miletich’s camp to start his own team. Assistant coach Marc Fiore spoke about the new team - The Hughes Intensive Training (H.I.T.) Squad - and it's founding members.

In addition to Hughes, Fiore said that fighters such as Robbie Lawler, Jacob Hey and Corey Hill were all expected to be part of the team. However, Fiore later confirmed that Hill opted not to join, but he didn’t go into much detail.

The 29-year-old Hill finally shed some light on the situation today, and it appears the split was amicable.

“It was an awkward position,” Hill said during today’s TAGG Radio program. “There was some talk (of me joining the H.I.T. Squad). I don’t know Matt Hughes too well, though… Then I went to Miletich’s, and there are a lot of good fighters coming through the gym, and I wanted to be one of them."

"My personal experience with (Hughes) — I’ve never had a problem with him… As far as I know him, he’s a good guy."

Hill also said he wanted to join Miletich’s camp so he could continue to work with Jens Pulver, who served as his coach on “The Ultimate Fighter 5” and, as Hill said, has become something of a father figure to him.

Hill (1-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his long-awaited UFC debut next week at UFC Fight Night 12. He faces Joe Veres (4-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the night’s un-televised undercard.