Issue 103

July 2013

UFC commentator tells us why his most memorable fight was against Sean Sherk and why he’s a fan of Vitor Belfort 

If you could choose one fight from your career that every MMA fan should see, which fight would you choose and why?

“I hate watching my own fights. Even in my wins I always feel I should have done something better. I think the fight I can point to is the loss to Sean Sherk. I was outgunned, I had a lot less experience but I went five rounds with a beast. At the time, I’d had like seven fights. It showed people my heart. That I wasn’t going to give up. I fought till the end, but I was a bloody mess.”

It was a bloody mess with mostly his blood everywhere. 

“Yeah, that was gross. I got to drink a lot of his blood. I got to show my heart, I got to show my dedication and that was my entrance into the sport. It was five hard rounds and it took me to the next level and said, ‘OK, now it’s time to work, Kenny.’” 

Even when you were still competing, did you envisage a career with a mic on the outside of the cage?

“I knew I was going to be involved in this sport for the rest of my life. I love it so much. I have a gym with my brother Keith in Boston. I definitely want to be a coach and mentor fighters and try to take them to the highest level. If I could take kids all the way to the highest level that would be awesome. But I have a background in communications and so when the UFC came to me with the offer to commentate, of course, I jumped at it. I just love it. I love being involved in any aspect of the sport.”

Who are your favorite fighters now, as a fan?

“Obviously, Anderson Silva is a guy I love to watch. Georges St Pierre, a guy I train with, a friend of mine, I like seeing how he’s going to compete. He’s the ultimate competitor and works so darn hard. I like seeing him fight. José Aldo too. He’s a guy that’s very exciting. He’s aggressive and that’s the kind of style I like. He goes for it and it’s always a show when he fights. Vitor Belfort – guys that are aggressive and go for the kill. Even a Demian Maia – real fun to watch on the ground. BJ Penn, too.” 

As a TUF season one alumnus, what’s the most amazing thing you’ve witnessed in the evolution and advancement of MMA? 

“It’s amazing how the sport has progressed. Guys are getting so much better now, you are getting a variety of guys coming from different backgrounds, different disciplines, and they are so well rounded now. And you are getting real athletes, that’s the real difference. It’s not just guys in martial arts and tough men. These guys are real athletes, combining that with high-level skills and coaching. I still think we have so much more to do. No one has figured out this sport, no one has streamlined the training process for this sport. It’s only going to get bigger and better.”

What advice would you give to a young person just getting started in the sport?

“Find the most experienced and knowledgeable people you can. More importantly, however, is making sure they are genuinely good people who are about seeing you reach your highest and best. Get opinions on these people from various sources. Train hard, train smart and never stop learning. You have to love training and love what you do. Live it 24/7.”