Kenny Florian

Florian last competed inside the Octagon late in 2011, going the distance with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Saturday night, Aldo successfully defended his title yet again with a first round knockout of Chad Mendes in his native country of Brazil.

“Ken-Flo” is a multi-time challenger to several titles in the UFC, but has yet to secure gold. Now, word of a possible career-ending back injury has left Florian in an interesting predicament.

“First of all, I’ve had a back injury for a little bit and after the Aldo fight I was getting back to training, I was doing some Olympic lifting, hurt my back, of course on the last rep, last set, and I knew it was bad,” Florian said. “It was a herniated disc in my back and it’s just been causing a lot of problems. Lower back, and it’s been everything from tingling and numbness in both my legs, so I’m hoping it’s going to heal up and I can get back to the fight game, but we’ll see what happens.”

Fellow fighters such as Nate Quarry and Tito Ortiz have both bounced back to compete following back surgery, but Florian, a former competitor on The Ultimate Fighter, said, “I’m not going to do surgery.”

For now, Florian will remain part of the UFC announce team on FUEL TV, waiting to see how his back heals up with rest and rehabilitation.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“As of right now, obviously I can’t compete and train like I was at all. I’m just kind of doing what I can and hoping that things heal up and get better,” explained the Ultimate Fighter alumnus in a conversation with the Boston Herald. “I’m just kind of in a holding pattern. That’s why I decided to do this commentary for the time being and take this next six months to really heal up and try to make some money on the side. It sucks. The last couple of months I’ve just been figuring out what’s going on and what I’m going to do.”

Based on the severity of the damage and lack of recovery thus far, based on advice he’s received from medical professionals, it may mean the premature end of his MMA career.

“It’s possible, unfortunately. I’ve kind of been going back-and-forth with some of the doctors, so it’s possible,” said Florian. It’s not good. That’s why I’m trying to stay hopeful. We’ll see.”

Florian is 14-6 in his career with the bulk of his bouts taking place in the UFC after a run to the finals on the first season of TUF. He has beaten a number of respected adversaries since, taking out the likes of Roger Huerta, Joe Lauzon, and Clay Guida.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/TAPOUT

Now, following a loss to UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo, “Ken Flo” has decided he will return to the lightweight ranks where the bulk of his previous success came. Nothing is scheduled as far as a fight, but regardless of that fact Florian is happy to be done with cutting weight to make 145 pounds.

Florian started out as a middleweight while finishing as a runner-up on The Ultimate Fighter, then went 2-0 at welterweight before making his name at lightweight.

“The hardest thing I’ve ever done, probably, is get down to 145,” said Florian, in a recent interview with HeavyMMA. “It was really brutal, and it took its toll on my body.”

Going back to lightweight, however, will place Florian in one of the UFC’s deepest and most talented weight divisions, as the likes of Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Gray Maynard, Clay Guida, Donald Cerrone. and countless other polished pugilists call 155 home.

“Everyone’s getting good, everyone’s getting better, everyone’s learning. I think once you start to know the fighters in the upper levels, you start to kind of figure out their game and then everyone realizes that everyone’s training hard,” Florian said. “It’s going to be interesting getting back in there – there’s a lot of tough guys there. Right now, the 155-pound division is probably the deepest.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Florian put rumors of his potential retirement to rest today when the 35-year old revealed his decision to remain an active Mixed Martial Artist, and, not only will Florian fight again but he’ll do so in the division he called home for five years – lightweight.

“I didn’t get in this to be second-best, of course. But at the same time, not everybody can be a champion,” the former 155-pound contender stated in a conversation with The Boston Herald. “I’m just going to go back to 155, work my way up, take it one fight at a time and see where it puts me.”

In terms of expectations, Florian explained he simply wants to test himself and isn’t necessarily looking to string together one final run at UFC gold. In fact, he’s not 100% positive how long his return to the ring will last.

“I don’t like making any limits on how many fights or anything like that,” Florian finished on the subject. “I’m still going to take it one fight at a time. I know I’ve still got several good fights in me. I could fight for the next three years. I could fight maybe another couple of fights. I don’t know. I’m going to take it how I feel in training, how I feel fight after fight and I’m just going to take it like that.”

Florian holds an overall record of 14-6 with wins at lightweight over Takanori Gomi, Joe Lauzon, Roger Huerta, and Clay Guida. However, he is 0-3 in title-shots including his last in-ring appearance, a hard-fought decision loss to Jose Aldo at UFC 136.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“Everyone is asking what is next for me. The only response I can give right now is that I’m going to take some time. I want to rest, spend some time with my family and friends, and then evaluate all of my options,” said Florian, in a statement he released via his management team, Authentic Sports Management. “When I make that decision, my fans will be the first to know. One way or another, you haven’t seen the last of Ken-Flo!”

UFC President Dana White has said that Florian’s future, which includes three defeats in championship matches, is in his hands. White added that Florian will always have a career in the UFC if he desires thanks to his past work on ESPN’s MMA Live and as a fill-in cageside announcer with Mike Goldberg for UFC events.

“The thing is he’s smart, he’s talented, he’s got other options. He got other things going on outside of fighting, too,” White said after UFC 136. “I have nothing but respect for him and Florian will be with us, no matter.”

Florian (14-6) is 1-2 in his last three bouts, falling to Jose Aldo this past weekend at UFC 136 for the featherweight title by way of decision. He has also lost title fights to B.J. Penn and Sean Sherk – both of which came at lightweight.

Along with his duties as an announcer and analyst, Florian also runs a gym with his brother, Keith, in Massachusetts.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Kenny Florian

“Ken Flo” has lost twice in his quest to claim the UFC lightweight title, falling to Sean Sherk and B.J. Penn. Those defeats, along with a loss to Gray Maynard in a #1 contender match, have allowed some to say Florian doesn’t have what it takes to win the big one. Those statements don’t bother Florian though – they only fuel him.

“I’d be lying if I said winning the UFC world championship hasn’t been a dream of mine for many years,” said Florian, in his blog for ESPN’s website. “That is a dream that every fighter in this sport has had at some stage and I am no different. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am right now and the title is there for the taking this Saturday night. I’m sure it will be an amazing feeling when the time finally arrives.”

In Aldo, Florian knows that he will be facing a man that is highly ranked in the pound-for-pound class and is only getting better as he progresses in age and skill level.

“Based on what I’ve seen, and based on who he has beaten, Aldo definitely deserves his pound-for-pound tag,” Florian said. “They say (he) is one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but, with days to go until we touch gloves and fight, I’m not listening to anything the so-called experts are saying. All that stuff means absolutely nothing to me right now and it will mean even less when we both step into the Octagon on Saturday at UFC 136.”

Florian (15-5) has been splitting his time in preparation for Aldo (19-1) at both his own Florian Martial Arts Center in Massachusetts with his brother, Keith, and the Tristar Gym in Montreal with Firas Zahabi. The 35-year-old is 12-4 in his UFC career with past wins over Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Joe Lauzon, and Clay Guida.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Kenny Florian

On Saturday, October 8, Florian takes on top featherweight Jose Aldo for the featherweight title at UFC 136.

So far in his WEC and UFC career, Aldo has looked unstoppable, but that doesn’t faze Florian. He’s been in the big fights before and he knows what he has to do to win.

“I feel that I have the game and the style to give Jose a lot of problems.” Florian told Five Ounces of Pain in an exclusive interview. “I think I have more experience. As far as combining everything together, I think that’s the difference. That’s what it comes down to. It’s not one round of boxing, one round of jiu-jitsu, and one round of wrestling. I don’t like to say I do this or that better, I think I do everything well.

“My goal is to be better every day and that’s something I feel like I’m doing. We’ll see if I can put it together on Oct 8. I’m feeling very confident, training has never been better, and it’s just going out there and fighting.”

Putting it all together is something Florian has done in big fights. He holds victories over some of the best fighters in the sport, and is known for being a finisher. But when the pressure is on, he hasn’t always lived up to his skill.

Following his UFC 118 loss to Gray Maynard, UFC president Dana White stated that, “Florian chokes in big fights.” The loss was one of many disappointing moments in Florian’s UFC career. He lost to Maynard in his hometown of Boston, was choked out by BJ Penn in his second crack at the UFC lightweight title, was out-wrestled by Sean Sherk in his first title shot, and was finished by Diego Sanchez in the Ultimate Fighter finals.

But Florian didn’t mind Dana’s criticism, in fact, he took it was a compliment.

“I took Dana saying I choke as a compliment because it means he expects more out of me. The reality is that I could have fought better though. I expect more out of myself.

“Was it a case of me choking in big fights though? No,” said Florian. “Maynard was better that night.”

Often confused for Ben Stiller, when asked whether or not he would like to re-arrange the actors face so people would stop telling him how much Little Fockers sucked, Florian laughed and commented, “I find the most humor in people who think they are saying it for the first time. It’s really not that original but I try to make them feel good about it.”

He speaks multiple languages, he was a star soccer player in high school, and he could be working on Wall Street. Instead, Florian chose to be a fighter, and that’s all he wants to do, ending with, “What I do is train and fight. That’s what I love to do.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

No stranger to the headset having filled in for Rogan in the past, Florian provided insight and a perspective that only a fighter can. For example, Florian’s commentary on the style of Anderson Silva, comparing him to, “a computer who analyzes how his opponent moves, figures out their game, and then picks them apart from there” was a great analogy, and possibly proof that “The Spider” isn’t human after all.

However, “Ken-Flo” came under fire during the showdown between lightweights Edson Barboza and Ross Pearson. During the bout, Florian seemed to show favoritism towards the Brazilian lightweight, rarely crediting the Brit for his pressure and his boxing. Barboza won a split decision but listening to Florian on commentary, you would believe that Barboza won 30-25.

Florian recently spoke to FiveOuncesOfPain.com about the criticism of his commentary and cleared up his thoughts on the fight.

“The way I saw it, I thought Ross fought brilliantly,” said Florian. “However, I just thought that Barboza was consistently throwing more punches and landing more shots. Ross did well in every round, but I had Barboza winning 29-28 pretty clearly.”

Florian further explained his point, telling exactly why he gave the nod to Barboza.

“I thought the knockdown, the variety of striking, and Barboza thwarting the takedowns of Pearson’s were the difference. By no means did he blow Pearson out of the water but I thought he won 29-28.”

Florian’s assessment was backed up by two of the three judges, who also saw the fight in favor of Barboza by the score of 29-28.

Back from Brazil and at home in Boston, Kenny now turns his attention towards an October 8 showdown with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The 14-5 Florian earned his shot at divisional gold with solid performance in his divisional debut last month at UFC 131 against Diego Nunes, a Nova Uniao teammate of Aldo’s. Prior to the fight the original Ultimate Fighter alumnus had scored a number of impressive victories against heavier competition including stoppages against Joe Lauzon, Takanori Gomi, Joe Stevenson, and Clay Guida.

Given Florian’s success at 155 the phenomenal Brazilian can back claims of his status as one of MMA’s top pound-for-pound fighters by beating the veteran challenger. The 24-year old has compiled a 19-1 record since taking to the ring in 2004 and hasn’t lost in more than five years including a dozen wins under the Zuffa banner. During that span he’s hand his hands raised against Jonathan Brookins, Manny Gamburyan, Mike Brown, Urijah Faber, and most recently Mark Hominick at UFC 129.

With the addition of Aldo vs. Florian, plus Edgar vs. Maynard, the increasingly deep lineup in Houston will also feature exciting bouts like explosive striker Melvin Guillard against submission machine Joe Lauzon, streaking middleweight Brian Stann attempting to silence outspoken grappler Chael Sonnen, and BJJ artist Demian Maia taking on former SRC champ Jorge Santiago.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the top-contenders’ tag came by way of a comment from Nunes’ coach, André Pederneiras, during a conversation with Brazilian publication Tatame.

While the 16-1 Nunes has won a number of fights at featherweight, including a recent decision over former WEC champion Mike Brown at UFC 125, the divisional-debuting Florian’s rapid ascension is due in part a highly successful run at lightweight highlighted by wins over Takanori Gomi, Roger Huerta, and Clay Guida. “KenFlo” hasn’t fought due to a knee injury since being outpointed by Gray Maynard at UFC 118 this past August.

A victory for Nunes would mark his fourth consecutive instance of in-ring success including a win over respected grappler Rafael Assuncao at WEC 49. However, Pederneiras was also very clear in stating the 28-year old would pass on the opportunity to bring home gold if Aldo retains his title against Hominick based on their relationship as training partners at Nova Uniao.

PHOTO CREDIT – AP / UFC

The 13-5 “Ken Flo” revealed his future plans on the latest episode of ESPN’s MMA Live where he also revealed his expectation of seeing Nunes in the Octagon at UFC 131 in June. The event is currently rumored to take place in Vancouver on June 11 with a headlining bout between Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos.

Nunes holds an overall record of 16-1 and has won his last three fights including a split decision over Mike Brown at UFC 125 in his last outing. The 28-year old also holds victories over Rafael Assuncao and Tyler Toner from his time in WEC before joining the post-merge UFC roster.

Though UFC 131 will mark Florian’s first foray into featherweight he has long been considered one of the top 155 pounders in MMA with past success in the ring against respected competitors like Takanori Gomi, Roger Huerta, Joe Lauzon, Joe Stevenson, and Clay Guida. In addition to the impressive list of foes he’s felled, twelve of Florian’s thirteen wins have also been the result of a finishing performance.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the move was reported by ESPN where Florian spends time as a co-host on MMA Live.

“I started playing around with the idea: could I make 145? Originally, I didn’t think it was possible,” explained Florian. “I spoke with a few nutritionists, got their opinions, told them what my body fat was, my walking-around weight, all that stuff and the general consensus was that it was very possible. I put a lot of thought into it, spoke with my coaches and everybody involved and decided that I am going to try it. I’m going to go for it.”

According to his manager Florian’s 145-pound debut will take place at some point this Summer.

Fans may recall this is not the first time Florian’s name has come up in connection with the UFC’s featherweight division. The original Ultimate Fighter finalist was recently rumored for a scrap with dynamic champion Jose Aldo who would have gone up to 155 had the bout come to fruition.

Florian has been out of action since a decision loss to Gray Maynard last August, though he was scheduled for a match-up with Evan Dunham in January but forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. The 34-year old Northeasterner is 13-5 in his career with nine wins by way of submission as well as a trio of TKOs to his credit.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Florian made the following statement on his website website in relation to the ordeal:

“It is with deep regret that I will not be able to compete in my scheduled fight against Evan Dunham on January 22nd, due to a knee injury I sustained during training this morning. Although I have not had an MRI as of yet; the doctors are cautiously optimistic that it will not require surgery.

I want to express my sincere apologies to the fans, the UFC and Evan for not being able to compete at (the event). Since early September, I have been training for this fight. Evan is a great fighter and has undoubtedly been working very hard towards this fight as well. Plus, it is a big disappointment that I will not be able to fight in the octagon for the brave soldiers that fight for us.

I am determined to return to the Octagon in the first half on 2011. Accordingly, I will keep you all updated.”

As mentioned, the 155-pound contender was scheduled to face 11-1 Dunham (5 Oz. #10 lightweight) at the event. However, though “Ken Flo” has been pulled from the show, the XTreme Couture standout will remain on the line-up and instead fight powerful striker Melvin Guillard.

News of the replacement was reported by HeavyMMA. Guillard was originally set to face Yves Edwards in a separate main card bout. “The Young Assassin” has won six of his previous seven fights including victories in his last three contests.

According to multiple sources, including those close to the camps, a match-up between Ken Florian and Evan Dunham has been bumped up in date from February’s UFC 126 and will now headline a “UFC Fight for the Troops” event scheduled for January 22nd at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

News of the switch was originally reported by HeavyMMA.

Though both men are coming off defeats in their previous bouts, Florian and Dunham are still considered near the top of the UFC’s talent-packed lightweight division and are each well-rounded competitors who have found in-ring success whether standing or on the mat.

Florian is 14-5 in his career and has beaten the likes of Roger Huerta, Takanori Gomi, Clay Guida, and Joe Stevenson, while XTreme Couture’s Dunham lost for the first time in twelve total fights to Sean Sherk via split-decision last September at UFC 119 but has past victories over Tyson Griffin, Efrain Escudero, and Marcus Aurelio.

Other fights rumored for the yet-to-be-officially-announced show include Mike Swick’s return to the Octagon against newcomer David Mitchell, Texan Yves Edwards facing the hard-hitting Melvin Guillard, and Ultimate Fighter Season 10 alumnus Matt Mitrione looking to go 4-0 when he faces 12-4 Tim Hague at the event.

“King Mo” Lawal Ready to Talk Trash Again (MMAFighting.com)

Jason Miller Thinks Nick Diaz is a “Bitch” (CagePotato.com)

Kenny Florian Throws Down with Dave Camarillo…in Street Fighter II (MiddleEasy.com)

Cain Velasquez Hits the Talk-Show Circuit (WatchKalibRun.com)

Want a Chance to Win Some Gear from JACO? (FIGHT! Magazine)

Get to Know Rising Prospect Charles Oliveira (MMAScraps.com)

Winner of Yushin Okami vs. Nate Marquardt Guaranteed a Title Shot (Heavy.com)

An Update on the Shane Carwin Injury-Situation (MMAConvert.com)

Five Lessons Learned from UFC 121 (Versus.com)

Aldo recently spoke with Tatame and briefly mentioned the UFC’s proposal of a match-up with “Top 10″ lightweight Ken Florian, though he explained his managers declined the bout without going into specifics about why.

“I wanna fight – it can be at WEC or in the UFC,” said Aldo.

The versatile 145-pounder did, however, go on explain his current focus on featherweight was in-part related to his training partners at Nova Uniao in Rio Di Janeiro.

“When I was fighting in the division above (André Pederneiras) thought there were many people of the gym on that division, and in my division there’s me and Marlon (Sandro),” he elaborated on the situation. “I can play pretty hard in this one and I’m the champion, so I think it’s best for me to stay in this weight division.”

Just because they won’t be fighting each other in December doesn’t mean Florian and Aldo will be left looking for future opponents, as both have since gone on to agree to other bouts in their home-promotions. Aldo will be defending his WEC title against Mark Hominick at WEC 54 in January, while Florian will face Evan Dunham at UFC 126 at the company’s standard Superbowl Weekend card on February 5th.

Florian is 8-2 in his previous ten fights with his most recent outing resulting in a decision loss to current title-contender Gray Maynard. Prior to the less-than-spectacular showing against Maynard, the Ultimate Fighter Season 1 Finalist had finished two consecutive opponents via Rear-Naked Choke (Takanori Gomi and Clay Guida).

His opponent, Dunham, was also outpointed the last time he appeared in the ring but, unlike Florian, was believed be many, including UFC President Dana White, to have been deserving of the victory based on his performance against former divisional champ Sean Sherk last month at UFC 119. The defeat was the first of Dunham’s twelve-fight career.

In addition to Florian vs. Dunham, UFC 127 is already rumored to be featuring Rich Franklin taking on Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones and Ryan Bader competing for a shot at the 205-pound title, and middleweight champ Anderson Silva defending his belt against Vitor Belfort card’s in the main event.

(UPDATE: Florian took to his Twitter account and stated he may have spoken too soon, as Dunham is not confirmed as his opponent and there are still a few other options.)

Does Randy Couture Have One Last Run at the Title in Him? (Versus.com)

Dana White Backtracks on Jon Fitch’s Contendership (WatchKalibRun.com)

Kamal Shalorus May Be Fighting Bart Palaszweski at WEC 52 (Heavy.com)

Ken Florian and Dan Hardy Take Differing Viewpoints on Wrestling in MMA (MMAFighting.com)

A TUF 12 Preview (CagePotato.com)

EA Sports MMA Will be Available to Play on the IPhone (MiddleEasy.com)

Bibiano Fernandes Finally Receives Payment for DREAM 13 Performance (MMAConvert.com)

European Stars Look Sharp at Shooto Event in Switzerland (FIGHT! Magazine)

Georges St. Pierre Comments on Josh Koscheck’s Pre-Fight Trash Talk (MMAScraps.com)

By evening’s end all three questions had been answered in as clear, concise a fashion as fans could have hoped for.

Maynard officially moved his undefeated streak into double-digits against Massachusetts’ own Florian with the takedowns and ground-control he’s become known for since debuting on the Ultimate Fighter Season 5. Though the end result was not necessarily pretty, it was certainly effective and earned “The Bully” a unanimous decision victory, as well as an eventual shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship.

Later in the evening, former double-division champ Randy Couture locked horns with boxing legend James Toney and wasted little time introducing the “mixed” aspect of MMA into things. Toney’s dangerous stand-up was neutralized less than thirty seconds into the fight after Couture landed a single-leg takedown and eased his way into mount. From there, “The Natural” made textbook work of Toney, softening him up with a few strikes before procuring an arm-triangle choke for the the nineteenth victory of his Hall of Fame career.

In main event action, former 155-pound champ Penn promised to offer a larger threat to current title-holder Edgar than he had when the two first fought at UFC 112. However, he was ultimately unable to do so and looked far poorer in the process than he did this past April when they first competed for the belt. Penn, who had been considered by many as the best lightweight of all time and a top pound-for-pound contender entering the bout, was outworked in all phases of the fight from start to finish and again landed on the losing end of a unanimous decision loss to the Jersey product as a result.

Next up for Edgar is Maynard, the only man to beat him thus far in a fourteen-fight career. The two originally faced off in April 2008 at Fight Night 13. The bout saw Maynard use his strength, size, and comparable wrestling skills to control Edgar throughout the bulk of the action and walk away with the judges’ favor for his performance.

The full list of UFC 118 results is as follows:

Mike Pierce def. Amilcar Alves via Submission Round 3 (Armbar)
Greg Soto def. Nick Osipczak via Unanimous Decision
Dan Miller def. John Salter via Submission Round 2 (Anaconda Choke)
Nik Lentz def. Andre Winner via Unanimous Decision
Joe Lauzon def. Gabe Ruediger via Submission Round 1 (Armbar)
Nate Diaz def. Marcus Davis via Submission Round 3 (Guillotine Choke)
Gray Maynard def. Ken Florian via Unanimous Decision
Demian Maia def. Mario Miranda via Unanimous Decision
Randy Couture def. James Toney via Submission Round 1 (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Frank Edgar def. BJ Penn via Unanimous Decision

Toney stepped on the scale at 237 pounds, officially seventeen clicks higher than Couture who measured in at 220 with blue jeans, socks, and over-priced dogtags still on his frame.

Also unique to the weigh-in was the presentation of a cake reading “Sorry for your loss!” to Joe Lauzon from opponent, newly signed Gabe Ruediger. Ruediger gained notoriety during his stint on the Ultimate Fighter Season 5 for eating chocolate cake, then coming in heavy to a fight and eventually losing his spot on the show for his inability to make weight.

For UFC 118, Ruediger apparently had no such issues and came in right at 155 pounds (while Lauzon was actually the bigger man at 156). Their preliminary fight, as is the clash between Nik Lentz and Andre Winner, will be available to watch on Spike TV before the PPV portion of the card.

The complete list of “UFC 118” weigh-in results is as follows:

Mike Pierce (171 lbs) vs. Amilcar Alves (171 lbs)
Nick Osipczak (171 lbs) vs. Greg Soto (170 lbs)
Dan Miller (185 lbs) vs. John Salter (185 lbs)
Andre Winner (154 lbs) vs. Nik Lentz (155 lbs)
Joe Lauzon (156 lbs) vs. Gabe Ruediger (155 lbs)
Demian Maia (184 lbs) vs. Mario Miranda (185 lbs)
Nate Diaz (171 lbs) vs. Marcus Davis (170 lbs)
Ken Florian (156 lbs) vs. Gray Maynard (156 lbs)
Randy Couture (220 lbs) vs. James Toney (237 lbs)
Frank Edgar (154 lbs) vs. BJ Penn (154 lbs)