In a recent interview for the podcast by Darren WoodsonMat Fraser5 champion of the CrossFit® Games) he has dropped a bomb.
When asked about the relationship between him and Rich Froning (4 times champion, both individually and in a team), he answered:
“I've lived in Cookeville for three years [the same city as Rich Froning] and Rich hasn't spoken to me in two and a half years. "
The strange thing, according to Fraser, is that he doesn't he knows what happened. He tried to ask, but got no answer as to why. He also stated that he knows 3-4 other people who have experienced the same thing.
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The controversial relationship between Rich Froning and Mat Fraser
About 5-6 months after the move, Mat noticed a few strange things and tried to clarify with Froning to see if everything was ok, but got no answer as to why he was kicked out of everything. (chats from athletes group and from training with the rest of the Mayheem team).
At that moment, he even took his things and returned to Vermont, thinking he would never return to Tennessee. However, with the transfer of Tia and Shane to Cookeville, he decided to return to the city.
The transfer of Tia Clair Toomey
When Tia moved in, Mat didn't want to get in between her and Rich. When there was a pandemic and pit closures, Tia asked if she and Mat could continue training at Mayheem in order to be fit for the Games and received a Negative answer.
The excuse? That if no one could train (not even paying students), they couldn't either! But when Tia went to get her equipment, she saw the box full of people: Rich and his friends training. And here something broke.
The story between Mat Fraser and Rich Froning
Let's go back to Mat Fraser's debut in 2014. In that competition he finished second, losing to Rich Froning.
Fraser said he was so unprepared that year that he practically swam sideways, because he couldn't swim straight, and didn't even care about feeding.
And this penalized him, especially in the last tests.
Fraser also reported that he has always been respectful of Froning, reiterating that everyone has made their own career. But he underlined how sport has changed and evolved, with ever more and higher loads.
At the time, the two also considered us to create a project together, but without explanation, Fraser was eliminated from the group chat of the box. And whoever trained with him was strangely removed from the group, according to Mat.
He was asked if the critical issue wasn't that they are the two greatest athletes in history, and if there wasn't a natural tension: two alpha males together could be a problem.
Fraser replied: "Have you ever seen an alpha male ignore another alpha male?"
Fraser believes that if there is a problem, it must be solved. Then he closed the interview by saying:
"My success is the best revenge".
The podcast on youtube
Below the Youtube video, there are 3 comments in defense of the owner of Mayheem.
One that would be from Rich Froning's father, Rich Froning Senior, who says:
“I'm Rich Froning Sr.
After listening to the podcast all I can say are two things:
1. I would be happy to provide a fuller explanation of the Cookeville / Mayheem situation.
2. Mat, I'm extremely disappointed with your comments! Incredible. I'll send you a message ”.
Two other people took Rich Froning's defense. One was Eryc Lynch, who pointed out that some things needed to be clarified.
And the other was Taylor Ramo, who claims to have trained there for 5 years, saying Froning is the opposite of how he was featured on the podcast.
Rich Froning Sr.'s Youtube profile does not allow us to tell if it is actually him or if someone has created a fake profile.
It remains only to say that every story has two bells and that until there is an official statement from Froning or something that Tia confirms, we just have to believe Mat Fraser or not.