Fighter Profile: Kenny Florian

Overall Record: 11-3

UFC Record: 9-2

Hometown: Westwood, MA

Height: 5’10” Weight: 155

Age: 33

Kenny “Ken Flo” Florian is a mixed martial artist who fights in the lightweight (155 lbs.) division in the UFC. Although he currently owns his own training center, Florian Martial Arts Center, he splits time between a couple of different camps when preparing for a scheduled fight. He is a member at Team Sityodtong, near Boston, MA, where he trains mainly in muay-thai under the watchful eye of the owner and operator, Mark DellaGrotte. He also has obtained a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, from Professor Roberto Maia at Gracie Barra in Boston.

Before beginning his martial arts career, Florian had extensive training in a sport very different than the one he currently trains in. He played on the varsity soccer team while a student at Boston College. He played for three years at B.C. while working towards his Bachelor of Science degree in communications. He often credits the skills he accumulated in this sport as it relates to his success in mixed martial arts.

Shortly after college, Florian began training full time in martial arts and had his first professional bout in January 2003. Ken Flo’s first opportunity as a mixed martial artist came against Jason Giroux at Mass Destruction 10. He dismantled Giroux with strikes, earning his first career victory with a 1st round TKO. Florian took his time and didn’t fight again until a full year and one month after his rookie bout at Mass Destruction 15. He demonstrated his world class potential by outscoring Bobby McAndrews on the ground and putting him away after only 1:57 had expired with a kimura.

Five months after his second career win in as many tries, the New Englander suffered somewhat of a setback. When climbing into the cage with Drew Fickett at Combat Zone 9 in July of 2004, Ken Flo gave up around 20 fights worth of experience to his opponent. It didn’t exactly look that way until the end of the fight as Florian was able to hang with his experienced opponent for three rounds before deferring to Fickett via judge’s decision.

His big break came after losing for the first time when he was chosen to appear on “The Ultimate Fighter: Season 1.” Although fighting above his natural weight class, Florian was able to hang tough and earn a spot in the season finale against Diego Sanchez. Sanchez outmuscled Florian and put him away with a TKO due to strikes only 2:49 into the bout.

Even after losing his second consecutive fight Florian was asked to continue in the UFC. He did make a slight change as he stepped inside the octagon at Ultimate Fight Night in August of 2005. He dropped a weight class and fought Alex Karalexis as a welterweight. The drop seemed to help Florian in the area of quickness, beating his opponent to the punch and to the position on a consistent basis. He was able to open a cut on Karalexis’ face, forcing the ringside doctor to put a halt to the fight thus awarding Florian a 2nd round TKO victory.

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He would fight and win once more as a welterweight, stopping muay-thai expert Kit Cope, but eventually made the permanent move to the lightweight division. His June 2006 “TUF 3 Finale” fight versus Sam Stout was his first as a lightweight. It didn’t take him long to establish himself as a legitimate contender either, steamrolling over Stout and securing his second straight rear naked choke victory.

His next bout at UFC 64 was for the vacant lightweight title against “The Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk. The two lightweights went back and forth for five solid rounds, however Sherk would get the last laugh, earning the unanimous decision victory and lifting the lightweight title for the first time.

The loss to Sherk did little to Florian’s confidence; in fact it may have been a confidence booster helping him in beginning a six fight winning streak. Four straight stoppages against top tier talent had helped put Florian’s name back in the conversation as a number one contender for the lightweight belt. He stopped Japanese fighter Dokonjonosuke Mishima, Alvin “Kid” Robinson, Din Thomas, and Joe Lauzon, in succession, putting him back in a position to fight big name lightweights. His performance against Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 13 earned him “Fight of the Night” honors for the very first time.

Roger Huerta was matched up against Florian at UFC 87 in August 2008 in what many thought would be a number one contender match. Riding the confidence of a four fight win streak, Florian dominated Huerta but wasn’t able to finish him and had to settle for the unanimous decision victory. The win didn’t get Florian the title shot that he desperately sought.

Instead of waiting an extended period of time to fight lightweight kingpin BJ Penn, he instead went out on a limb and accepted a fight against the always tough Joe Stevenson at UFC 91 in November 2008. Florian showed that he was determined to get a second crack at the title by overwhelming “Joe Daddy” and securing a 1st round submission win.

With a six fight winning streak and two straight victories over top of the division lightweights, the UFC granted Florian his wish and scheduled a title fight on August 8th versus BJ Penn in Philadelphia at UFC 101. The headlining bout will be sure to produce fireworks as both Penn and Florian are known to try and finish their opponents. If there is a lightweight that is capable of defeating Penn, it very well could be the reeling Florian. Whether he captures the title at UFC 101 or not, Kenny Florian had solidified himself as a world class lightweight and plans on keeping that title for years to come.

Recent Kenny Florian MMA News:

• Defeated Clay Guida via Submission at UFC 107 on December 12, 2009 - UFC 107 results

• Will face Takanori Gomi in the main event at UFC Fight Night 21 on March 31, 2010 - UFC Fight Night 21 fight card & results

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer
Published July 2009