Issue 036

April 2008

Text: Keith Mills, Photos: Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC. 

 Kenny ‘KenFlo’ Florian has racked up quite a list of accomplishments in his relatively short career: BJJ black belt, TUF Season one contestant, and holder of a 6-2 UFC record (including a title shot against Sean Sherk). Kenny also has a B.A. in communications and explains, “Without MMA I’d probably go on to be a lawyer. That is what I was planning on doing, probably fighting in a courtroom.”

Using an academic analogy to describe his current position, Florian goes on: “With MMA, it is almost like I have my PhD thesis all written up and ready to go and haven’t handed it in yet. Like ‘where is the professor, I want to give him the paper’. Also in some ways I’m looking for another paper to write. It is partially I haven’t had a chance to show what I can do. I’m waiting for that great challenge, and I know it is going to come with this fight and the following fight. I’m really never satisfied, probably the pickiest person ever. I’m on that path but there are many things to prove to myself and others.”

Kenny has been further down the path once before, when he fought Sean Sherk for the UFC lightweight title in October ’06, a decision loss for Kenny, but one that saw Sherk test positive for steroids in a later fight. “I think the legitimate title holder right now is BJ Penn,” Florian calmly states. “I think as much as someone refutes a positive charge, you can only go with science. I think he is a skillful fighter but he did get popped for steroids. Regardless of whether Sean Sherk was using in my fight or not I still didn’t do what I should have done technically and strategically to win that fight. As far as I’m concerned that was a win for Sean Sherk and a loss for Kenny Florian.” 

The first thing someone talking to Kenny will notice is that no matter what the question, Kenny can come up with an answer off the top of his head while staying humble. He will respond to topics as varied and controversial as the Dana White / Randy Couture split (“Randy should be able to decide where he wants to fight and when he wants to fight. I don’t know the specifics of the contract or what happened between the UFC and Randy Couture but I wish him the best. With that in mind I also want to say I’m very appreciative of everything Dana White, the Fertitas, and the Zuffa organization has done for me”) to EliteXC’s 160lb weight class (“I honestly believe the weight classes are a little messed up. From 205 going down I think it should be ten pounds increments. As the sport is going now we could certainly sustain those divisions”). Kenny may come off in print like a lawyer, but it is impossible to catch him flatfooted in or out of the cage. 

It is a cold, winter morning in Boston but Kenny is back at the gym. “Right about now is when we do the intense training. There is a peaking process and phases of training we go through. I’ve completed two cycles and I’m at the end of the second cycle. Once you get into the last cycle it is very intense training. A lot of sparring and execution of strategy.  I was actually sparring a lot a few weeks ago with Patrick Cote, Jorge Rivera, and Marcus Davis. I’ve already been sparring hard for a while.” Coming off what will be seven months between fights, on April 2^nd Kenny faces Joe Lauzon in the main event of Ultimate Fight Night 13. “I’ve been itching to fight. I wish I had a fight before this one but I’m ready to fight now and I can’t wait. Joe Lauzon is one of those guys who is well-rounded and I need to be prepared everywhere. I believe he is going to try to take me down, get on top, and use his ground-and-pound and submission game to defeat me. I’m not sure if his gameplan is really to strike with me but I am prepared for that. I’m prepared for everything he can bring and my gameplan is just go out there, put the pressure on him, and fight my fight.” 

The core of his success is his training team, consisting of Mark Dellagrotte of Sityodtong, Kenny’s brother Keith (who is also a black belt in BJJ), boxing coach Peter Welch, strength and conditioning trainer Kevin Kern and nutritionist Jesse Kropelnicki. Mark and Keith will be in Kenny’s corner. 

Whether or not Kenny wins this fight, and if he goes on to face the winner of BJ Penn / Sean Sherk if he does, as Kenny believes one thing is for sure; he will be in the UFC instead of looking into fighting in another shows. “There are so many fights that could happen so I'm excited at that prospect. There's definitely no shortage of competition.”