LAS VEGAS – Former UFC flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott became tired of hiding what really happened with his divorce.
In recent weeks, Elliott has gone on social media to accuse his ex-wife and former UFC fighter Gina Mazany of cheating on him with his training partner, Kevin Croom, on their wedding day. He revealed that Mazany and Croom are still in a relationship.
Elliott’s decision to go public with his personal life received a lot of attention – and a lot of it that was positive, he said.
“I got a lot of support, I guess you could say,” Elliott told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “I don’t know. I’m not happy or sad about it. I felt like it was something I needed to do. Again, it wasn’t to take a stab at anybody. It was more for my own personal issues. It helped at the time of finding out. When I first left for Texas, I was walking around at 128 pounds. I couldn’t finish a practice without being injured. I was just frail. Here, just the other day, I was 152. My weight is back up. My spirits are back up. I’m actually able to be a good training partner and a teammate for my team, which is important for me.”
Elliott (18-12-1 MMA, 7-10 UFC) meets Victor Altamirano (12-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 45 main card at the UFC Apex. The former title challenger said he was continuously being asked about Mazany and Croom, whom he recently cornered in a BKFC fight, which is sparked his decision to speak out about what happened.
“I was the only one wearing it,” Elliott said. “My ex and the person that she is with now, they were living in my city, dating, being cool. Everybody thought that we separated because she said that I wanted to force her to move to Texas or she said that we separated for I don’t even know what the reasons were. But they weren’t the reasons that were the real reasons. Then, I’d come to my city where my home is at and people were telling me, ‘Oh, I heard you and Gina split up because of this.’ Every interview they were asking me, ‘How’s Gina? How are you guys doing?’ I was lying and making up excuses to protect these guys. Every time I did that, it was hurting me. After it got out there, nobody was asking me anymore.
“I was getting, ‘Oh, are you going to corner Kevin Croom in his next bareknuckle fight again?’ I had to be like, ‘Oh no, we’re not really cool any more. Gina and I aren’t really together any more.’ They’d ask why, and I was searching to make excuses and lying for them, to protect them. At the same time, that was hurting myself – and not even myself. What it was doing was it was making me shell up. I wasn’t able to be a good dad. I’ve felt like not a great person before. I felt like not a great fighter before. But I’ve never not felt like a great dad. That was something that I had to change. I had to change it for myself, and I had to change it for my daughter. After releasing it and getting a bunch of support, which I don’t know if that’s what helped or just getting off my chest, I’m good. I’m feeling like I’m back to my normal self again.”
Elliott moved to Texas to train at Next Generation Mixed Martial Arts with Chris Brennan, a former MMA fighter who competed in the UFC, Pride, and King of the Cage.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t know if I wanted to be around the sport. I just didn’t know if I’d be able to handle it,” Elliott said. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in Kansas City with my team and train. Zak Cummings has a gym there now, and I’ve cornered him in the UFC. He’s cornered me in the UFC. Trey Ogden has a gym in Kansas City now, and we’ve been close for a long time.
“Those are places I felt like I’d have been able to train at. Those guys still go there and train. It was just one of those things where I’d end up hurt or hurting somebody else or getting in trouble. I was just lucky enough to have a spot to go in Texas with Chris Brennan and Next Generation Mixed Martial Arts. It just saved my ass, really.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 45.
