Issue 055
October 2009
Middleweight Tim Kennedy isn’t your average MMA fighter. A Green Beret in the US Army, Kennedy once turned down a contract with the UFC because of his commitment to serving his country.
Fighting as part of the special forces, Kennedy has been engaged in 30-hour firefights and missions behind enemy lines so classified that he’ll never be able to discuss them. Back after an 18-month layoff from fighting (in which he saw active service in places like Afghanistan) Thompson’s keen to take on the best the middleweight division has to offer.
Gloves
Kennedy keeps four sets of gloves with him: “I’m training so many times a week that my gloves start getting this special kind of smell. That smell that says ‘put me in the sun or the next time you use me I’m going to make your hands rot off’.”
The real reason Tim keeps so many pairs with him is they mirror the mood he’s in. The ‘everyday’ gloves are Windy 16oz gloves, but when there’s a jackass in the gym he breaks out the Windy 14oz to dole out lessons in discipline. For the days he wants to take it easy (which are rare) Kennedy has Fairtex 18oz gloves. For MMA Kennedy uses Fairtex 5oz MMA gloves.
Shin Guards
Amber shin guards, leather with leather straps. “These bad boys can take a beating,” says Kennedy. “I keep Throwdown shin guards primarily for MMA sparring, but they are made from a neoprene-like material, and they keep tearing.” That’s probably due to Kennedy’s grossly large calf muscles.
Supplements
Max Nitro EXT by Max Muscle helps Kennedy get that pre-workout pump. When you are on a sniper range all day and then train boxing and jiu-jitsu in the evening, a little extra energy can go a long way. Post-workout, Kennedy drinks XTR by Max Muscle because “It tastes like pink lemonade from In-N-Out Burger.”
Hand Wraps
Like his gloves, Kennedy keeps several pairs of hand wraps in his bag that he rotates daily to keep the gym funk away. “I wrap my hands every time I train. I believe it’s important to hit hard all the time and from every position, and unlike boxers we punch from some pretty crazy angles. Not wrapping your hands is like being a terrorist and thinking an orange jump suit is part of a new fashion line and the camera in your cell is there to film your walk down the runway.”
Shorts
Sometimes, basic is better. “I wear old-school kickboxing shorts. No brand really.”
Miscellaneous
“I carry a pink jiu-jitsu belt – it’s a long story – a glass jar filled with Listerine that holds my mouthpieces. A Glock 19 with three extra magazines – just in case – and a few Ranger Up tee-shirts to support my brothers and sisters in the service; usually the War Eagle design.” And Kennedy’s secret weapon? “If I’m not cutting weight you would be hard pressed to find me without a jar of reduced fat extra crunchy peanut butter.”
Kennedy fights ‘Cyborg’ Santos, September 25 on Strikeforce Challengers on Showtime.
