Kenny Florian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenny Florian |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Kenneth Alan Florian May 26, 1976 Westwood, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Other names | KenFlo |
| Residence | Los Angeles County, California |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10 st 5 lb) |
| Division | Middleweight (2005) Welterweight (2003–2005) Lightweight (2006–2010) Featherweight (2011–2012) |
| Reach | 74 in (188 cm) |
| Style | Brazilian jiu-jitsu |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Team | Florian Martial Arts Center Tristar Gym |
| Trainer | Keith Florian |
| Rank | 5th degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Roberto Maia |
| Years active | 2003–2012 (MMA) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 20 |
| Wins | 14 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 8 |
| By decision | 2 |
| Losses | 6 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 4 |
| University | Boston College |
| Notable school(s) | Dover-Sherborn High School |
Kenny Florian (born May 26, 1976) is an American former mixed martial artist. He used to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). After retiring from fighting, he became a well-known commentator and analyst.
Kenny is known for his smart approach to fighting. He carefully plans his moves before each match. He also finished many of his opponents, winning 12 out of 14 fights by knockout or submission. Kenny is one of only two fighters in UFC history to compete in four different weight classes. These were Middleweight, Welterweight, Lightweight, and Featherweight.
He competed in the first season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. He reached the finals but lost to Diego Sanchez. Kenny also fought for UFC championships three times but did not win a title. Many people consider him one of the best fighters never to have won a UFC championship.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Kenny Florian was born in Westwood, Massachusetts. He grew up in Dover, Massachusetts. He was one of six children. His parents were from Peru.
In high school, Kenny was a great soccer player. He played for Dover-Sherborn Regional High School. He then went to Boston College and played soccer there too. Kenny has dual citizenship in the United States and Peru.
After college, Kenny became very interested in mixed martial arts. He earned a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu from Roberto Maia. He decided to follow his passion for fighting.
Kenny Florian's Fighting Career
Kenny Florian is famous for his "razor sharp" elbow strikes. He started his professional MMA career in January 2003. He won his first two fights by knockout and submission.
His first loss was in July 2004 to Drew Fickett. Even though he lost, UFC President Dana White was impressed. White offered Kenny a spot on The Ultimate Fighter show.
On The Ultimate Fighter
Kenny joined the first season of The Ultimate Fighter as a middleweight. He beat Chris Leben to reach the finals. In the final match, he lost to Diego Sanchez.
Fighting in the UFC
After The Ultimate Fighter, Kenny continued to fight in the UFC. He defeated Alex Karalexis with a strong elbow strike. He then won against Kit Cope by submission.
In June 2006, Kenny fought Sam Stout. He won by submission in the first round. This win earned him a "Submission of the Night" award. It also gave him a chance to fight for the UFC Lightweight Championship.
On October 14, 2006, Kenny fought Sean Sherk for the Lightweight title at UFC 64. He lost the fight by decision. This match earned him a "Fight of the Night" award.
Kenny continued to win fights. He defeated Dokonjonosuke Mishima and Alvin Robinson by submission. He also beat Din Thomas with a rear-naked choke.
In April 2008, Kenny defeated Joe Lauzon by TKO. This was a tough fight, and it earned him another "Fight of the Night" award. He then beat Roger Huerta by decision, ending Huerta's long winning streak.
At UFC 91 in November 2008, Kenny defeated Joe Stevenson by submission. This win made him the top contender for the Lightweight Championship.
Second Title Shot
Kenny Florian challenged B.J. Penn for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 101. Kenny tried to take Penn down many times but couldn't. In the fourth round, Penn took Kenny down and won by submission.
After this, Kenny fought Clay Guida in December 2009. He knocked Guida down and then won by submission. He also defeated former Pride Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi in March 2010. This win earned him another "Submission of the Night" award.
Kenny then faced Gray Maynard in August 2010. The winner would get another shot at the Lightweight Championship. Kenny lost this fight by decision.
Moving to Featherweight and Third Title Shot
In February 2011, Kenny announced he would move down to the featherweight division. He won his first featherweight fight against Diego Nunes in June 2011. This win led to his third chance at a UFC title.
Kenny fought José Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship in October 2011. He lost the fight by decision.
Retirement from Fighting
After his third championship loss, Kenny thought about retiring. He had been dealing with back problems for a long time. In November 2011, he got a new injury while lifting weights.
Doctors advised Kenny to retire because of his back and leg issues. On May 31, 2012, Kenny Florian officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.
Life Outside the Octagon
Kenny Florian and his brother Keith own a martial arts school. It's called Florian Martial Arts Center in Brookline, Massachusetts. They teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, and mixed martial arts.
Kenny is also fluent in Spanish. He has appeared on TV shows, including Dr Phil, to talk about the dangers of fighting outside of organized sports. He also provides commentary for the robot combat TV series BattleBots. He is currently a commentator for the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Achievements and Awards
Kenny Florian received many awards during his career.
Mixed Martial Arts Awards
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- The Ultimate Fighter 1 Middleweight Tournament Runner-up
- Fight of the Night (Three times)
- Submission of the Night (Two times)
- Tied for second most rear-naked choke submissions in UFC history (7)
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Awards
- Pan-American Championship
- Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Championships 2003 Brown Middle - 3rd Place
- North American Grappling Association
- NAGA BJJ Superfight Champion
- NAGA Advanced Gi Open Champion
- NAGA Advanced Gi Middleweight Champion
- Grapplers Quest
- Grapplers Quest Hall of Fame
- Grapplers Quest Superfight Champion
Images for kids
-
Kenny Florian
See also
In Spanish: Kenny Florian para niños
