Issue 048
April 2009
Kenny ‘KenFlo’ Florian is one of the hottest lightweight fighters right now. Hovering at the top of the division, he has patiently worked his way through a series of challengers to place himself among the top title contenders at 155lb. BJ Penn’s insistence upon a rematch with GSP means Florian had to sit out and bide his time until the Hawaiian’s return.
STATISTICS
Name Kenny Florian
Age 32
Height 5’ 10”
Category Lightweight
Fighting Style Muay Thai / BJJ
Fights out of Boston, Massachusetts
Active since 2003
Florian has blown through every lightweight put in front of him since his 2006 fight with Sean Sherk. The Boston-based BJJ black belt dropped to lightweight and faced the then-champion Sherk after only one fight at 155lb, but entered the contest with a back injury that left him unable to properly defend the wrestler’s takedowns.
Since then, Florian has improved as both a fighter and an athlete. His all-round arsenal has increased substantially due to his work with noted Muay Thai trainer Marc DellaGrotte, and his training partners at Sityodtong have helped him develop into one of the lightweight divisions most versatile and dangerous fighters. His most famous quote is “I finish fights”.
Head
Noted as a cerebral fighter, Florian is an intelligent athlete who is able to analyse his game and make the necessary developments to become the best possible fighter he can be. A supreme technician and quick learner, he went from being ‘just’ a BJJ black belt to a well-rounded athlete able to fight in any range. His drive is unstoppable and his focus his laser-like, all products of his formidable psyche.
Elbows
Nick-named ‘hellbows’, Florian has extremely sharp elbows and has cut a number of fighters with them. Training Muay Thai under Marc DellaGrotte at Sityodtong, Florian has honed his forearm strikes into razor-sharp weapons his opponents know to avoid.
Core
When Florian started fighting, he did so out of his weight class and with little in the way of proper physical preparation. He has turned his body from that of a soccer player into a fighter, thanks to his recent work with strength and conditioning trainer Kevin Kearns. Florian’s physicality now matches his technical abilities, as seen in the way he bulldozed through Roger Huerta and Joe Stevenson.
Shins
As mentioned, Florian’s work with Marc Dellagrotte has seen him evolve into a fighter who can use all of his weapons. One particularly tool he has worked on is his leg kick. He uses feints, twitches and steps to confuse opponents when the kick will come, landing it with great accuracy.
CAREER SNAPSHOT
2005
Enters TUF and gets to the final as a middleweight.
2006
Drops to lightweight, but loses via decision to Sean Sherk for the 155lb title.
2007
Picks up three dominant wins over Mishima, Robinson and Thomas.
2008
Soundly beats Joe Lauzon, Roger Huerta and Joe Stevenson to become number one contender for 155lb title.
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