(Props: CageWriter)
Now that the dust has settled on his second unsuccessful run at a UFC lightweight title, it’s time for Kenny Florian to look to the future and learn from the mistakes of his past. In this interview with ProMMARadio, Florian blames his long layoff for his submission loss to BJ Penn at UFC 101, and hopes to get back in cage right away against a tough opponent. Some highlights:
On ring rust: "I didn’t think it would be a factor, just because I stayed busy throughout, I was training hard…but it definitely was. Being almost nine months away from the cage, it hurt me. With my striking, it’s always an issue…I just found that I couldn’t get my range and my timing going during the fight, and felt I wasn’t effective there. I just felt uncomfortable with my striking."
On how he was doing until he lost: "I figured that I definitely won the second and third [rounds]. The first, he caught me with a good shot, but I was kind of off-balance so it looked like I got knocked down…Going into the fourth, obviously, with where he ended up with the takedown on top, I knew he was obviously going to win that round and my goal was trying to survive and just try to make it to the fifth where I’d be able to push and try to squeeze out the win…the commissioner came over to me and said that a couple of the judges had me winning the first couple rounds, I was two to one, or one of the judges had me all three, I don’t know exactly what happened, but he told me that a couple of the judges may have had me winning."
On what he would do in a rematch: "It’s everything…I really feel that’s there’s a lot of little things that I should have done better in the whole-round game, obviously the wrestling, me being able to finish there with my takedowns, I think my entry was very good, my timing was okay, but finishing just wasn’t what it should have been. My striking, my timing was off, so I think that comes down to just me being a little more active."
On his next step: "I’m looking forward to seeing what the UFC has in their plans for me. I just want a tough fight, it’s gonna have to be someone tough at least once or twice for me to get back in there for the belt, and we’ll see what happens. I’m looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to the challenges, certainly there’s a ton of challenges left for me at 155…I want to get right back in there in a couple months."
On Penn vs. Sanchez: "I don’t think [Sanchez] has the striking to get it done. I don’t think he has the wrestling to get it done. He has phenomenal cardio, phenomenal heart, great ground skills, but I think he’s going to have some trouble with BJ. I see BJ winning that fight. I just think BJ’s going to be a little bit too much for him. Crazy things happen all the time in this sport, but you gotta have BJ as the favorite going into that fight, no doubt about it."
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commentsRIGHT! I'm surprised this isn't as big of a thing as Seth Petruzelli's "they paid me extra to stand with him" revelation. Telling a fighter the score cards between rounds is like fixing the fight. If it's the break between rounds 2 and 3 and it's 3 rounder, and someone tells you every judge has you winning the first two rounds... all you're going to do is try to stay alive and make it out of the 3rd so you can win a decision. You'd just run around the ring and try not to get KO'ed or taken down. That hurts the chances of the other guy.. it's fight fixing and it's bullshit.
Are you fucking kidding me?
I'm with J-Dog...why is any official talking to the fighters about the fight during the fight? That could lead to some serious impropriety/fight fixing/gambling allegations. If what Kenny says is true, that should be investigated. If the commission wants to have open scoring like K-1, fine, but that would certainly be public knowledge before the fight and both fighters would be getting the info. They should only be concerned with Phil Nurse inappropriately touching GSP between rounds and fighters using Plaster of Paris to tape their hands.
No. He cant.
I had Florian winning one round and who knows what would happen if he survived and tested BJ's cardio in the final round. But you can't fuck up against BJ on the ground and he did. BJ did look pretty fresh and showed how sick he can be at his real weight. Now if he'd only stop being a douchebag between fights.
I went down to Philly for UFC 101, and ventured down Passyunk Ave until I came to the world famous Geno's.
The line was long, but the cheesesteaks with onions and extra wiz were unreal.
With that motivation BJ picked up Kenny. Dropped him on his back and subbed him right quick.
sanchez beats kenny i think, he's at least got a better shot at bj
kennys next fight should be against the winner of guillard/diaz
Sanchez is going to be badly exposed by another higher level fighter if they fight Sanchez is going to be killed by BJ and exposed as a Bridesmaid/Gatekeeper.
Sure he stayed active and tried to pursue but he didn't land as many nice shots and when BJ got in close and in the clinch he landed some very strong strikes that were just more effective.
in my mind the phrase out striking stems from having 2 guys throw strikes at each other, and having one fighter outdo the other, hence 'out striking'.
that being said. when that guida/sanchez fight started, no 'out striking' took place. sanchez threw a fury of shots while guida did his best to cover up and survive.
i made my previous comment to counter the statement by florian that, "sanchez doesnt have the striking to get it done"
sanchez has the striking to get it done. id go so far to say that sanchez has plenty of striking to get it done. will bj counter better than guida? probably so. but to say sanchez, "doesnt have the striking to get it done" is a statement id probably put in the category of ignorant.
just saying.
I wouldn't bet on it either way, but yes I think Florian could beat Sanchez now. I also think Sanchez could beat Florian. It would be a close one I think.
@Dude
Florian was waiting for his title shot that he had already been granted. He had to wait for GSP vs Penn that's why the long lay off.
@Soda
Out striking Clay Guida does not mean someone is able to outstrike Penn. Not at all.
Clay Guida: "wrong answer"
Why do fighters get long lay offs (other than because of injuries)? Most fighters fight ONCE a year! They need to be fighting 2-3 times a year 'cause they're getting old and tired fast! They train more than they fight so I don't think Florian lost because of cage rust, he lost 'cause Penn was the better man that night. Way better! (And I was rootin' for Florian). Look at J. Koscheck, that dude was fighting like every 1-2 months! WHY???? What does a fighter have to do or say to have this kinda schedule? 9 months of no cage time for Florian and other fighters is way too much and something needs to be done.
Do you not think Sanchez would take out Florian once again as well?
EDIT: Or Clay Guida...whatever.
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