Duane Ludwig wasn't happy with Conor McGregor's comments from The Ultimate Fighter in the fall. McGregor called T.J. Dillashaw a "snake in the grass," a phrase that has been repeated by fans in the direction of Dillashaw ad nauseum.

Dillashaw ended up leaving Team Alpha Male and the group's patriarch Urijah Faber for Elevation Fight Team in the fall. On the show, McGregor questioned Dillashaw's loyalty toward Faber. "Bang" feels the Irishman was not quite fluent on the situation before he opened his mouth.

"As far as loyalty, what's loyalty?" Ludwig told Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It's making sure he's always improving and doing what's important for him. Not making sure he's doing what's important to other people. In this sport, you've gotta do what's best for you. What's best for him is to have high-level coaches making sure he's improving each and every day. And that's here in Colorado, not in Sacramento."

McGregor's take was that Faber had known Dillashaw for years, recruited him to Alpha Male from the time he was in high school. Then when Ludwig became Team Alpha Male coach for a short period of time, Dillashaw was ready to follow him wherever he went.

Ludwig doesn't see anything wrong with that at all.

"In my eyes, I don't think Faber ever did much for T.J.," Ludwig said. "If you want to put on a loyalty stamp, I felt like I've done a lot more than Faber has. That's for sure."

Dillashaw has said multiple times that he feels like he works best with Ludwig and did not want to lose that relationship when Ludwig left Team Alpha Male after a dispute with Faber. In Colorado, Dillashaw does striking with Ludwig, but also has a team of coaches in all disciplines. He also has acquired a sponsorship from MusclePharm with the new team since Elevation trains at the MusclePharm gym in Denver.

"I'm always gonna back T.J.'s decision," Ludwig said. "He's gotten a lot better under my guidance and the coaches out here in Colorado than he ever did in Sacramento. Other than under my guidance."

Dillashaw lost his bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz in a tight split decision Sunday at UFC Fight Night 81 in Boston. Ludwig felt like Dillashaw won the close fight and the loss should not at all be a reflection on his new team since he fought well.

Faber said before the title fight that he was hoping Dillashaw won, because he preferred to fight his former friend and training partner. Ludwig and Faber still don't see eye to eye and he questions the former WEC champion's motives.

"I think Faber is calling for that fight because he wants to have another big-money payday," Ludwig said. "He barely survived his last fight against a tough journeyman (Frankie Saenz). Now he wants to fight one of the No. 1 fighters in the world? Get the f*ck out of here.

"It's just a payday call, that's all it is. And I get it. It's all about money. He's at the end of his career. He wants another payday fight. I don't know if he wants to step away soon or what it is. He probably should step away. It's not really good to get hit in the head that much. It's not good for your brain."

Cruz and Faber were both sniping on Dillashaw before the fight with barbs and fans picked up on it, booing Dillashaw during fight week. Ludwig was taken aback, because he said this was the first time the fans had been against Dillashaw heading into a bout. McGregor's comments also surely contributed.

Dillashaw chose not to fight back verbally against Cruz and Faber. Ludwig thinks that might have to change and being "quiet and humble" isn't always the right choice.

"If someone is gonna spout lies and talk sh*t, you gotta put out the truth and the truth is gonna come out here soon," Ludwig said.