Post by PdW2kX on Oct 12, 2011 0:29:18 GMT -5
Just another article I felt was good enough to get a little discussion going. Y'all know what to do if you like what you read.
-----
Kenny Florian Can Still Be A Top-Division Star... Just Not A Champion
What does the future hold for Kenny Florian? It’s tough to say. As it stands, Florian has tried three times to become a UFC champion and was unsuccessful each time. He also lost a third chance at the UFC Lightweight Championship when Gray Maynard dominated him in a “contender eliminator” encounter. Recently Florian put on his best championship performance against Jose Aldo, but still failed to capture gold. Now a press release has shed some light on where KenFlo goes from here.
MMA Weekly brings us the scoop, and here are the highlights from the press release written by Florian himself: “Everyone is asking what is next for me. The only response I can give right now is that I’m going to take some time. I want to rest, spend some time with my family and friends, and then evaluate all of my options… When I make that decision, my fans will be the first to know. One way or another, you haven’t seen the last of Ken-Flo!”
For the record, I like Kenny Florian. I’ve liked him for a long time now. I think Florian is a very entertaining fighter with a huge amount of heart, and back when the UFC’s Lightweight division wasn’t nearly as good as it is now, you could always count on Kenny Florian to deliver an entertaining bout. Even better, Florian had a history of finishing fights in what was (at that point) a division filled with decisions.
It’s just that, as I’ve said before, Kenny Florian is one of those “good but not great” fighters.
A lot of people say he chokes in big fights, but I don’t agree. I just think that once he steps onto that championship level and starts facing championship-caliber opponents, his opponents are simply better than him.
That’s some pretty brutal honesty right there, I can admit it. But at this point, maybe it’s time for some brutal honesty. I didn’t say that to disrespect Kenny Florian. I like Kenny Florian, remember? But I’m a realist first and an optimist second. The optimist in me hopes that Florian one day proves us all wrong and finally catches the title he’s been chasing. The realist in me knows that after three failed opportunities, that’s probably just not going to happen.
So what’s left? Here’s some more brutal honesty for you. This is a tough pill for any fighter to swallow, but I think the remainder of Kenny Florian’s career will see him compete as the dominant gatekeeper of whatever division he competes in.
Some would say that there’s nothing wrong with being a gatekeeper, and in this particular case I agree. Kenny Florian can still have a long, fruitful UFC career. He can still beat some good names and get himself onto the higher spots on the card. Kenny Florian is an established fan-favorite, and even though he loses occasionally that hasn’t changed because he hasn’t sacrificed what makes him so entertaining in order to win fights.
Kenny Florian may never capture UFC gold, but I don’t see the UFC ever getting rid of Kenny Florian.
I hope Kenny Florian is able to deal with the fact that he’ll probably never hold a championship. If he can learn to live with that fact, he can still be one of the UFC’s biggest lighter-weight stars.
-----
-----
Kenny Florian Can Still Be A Top-Division Star... Just Not A Champion
What does the future hold for Kenny Florian? It’s tough to say. As it stands, Florian has tried three times to become a UFC champion and was unsuccessful each time. He also lost a third chance at the UFC Lightweight Championship when Gray Maynard dominated him in a “contender eliminator” encounter. Recently Florian put on his best championship performance against Jose Aldo, but still failed to capture gold. Now a press release has shed some light on where KenFlo goes from here.
MMA Weekly brings us the scoop, and here are the highlights from the press release written by Florian himself: “Everyone is asking what is next for me. The only response I can give right now is that I’m going to take some time. I want to rest, spend some time with my family and friends, and then evaluate all of my options… When I make that decision, my fans will be the first to know. One way or another, you haven’t seen the last of Ken-Flo!”
For the record, I like Kenny Florian. I’ve liked him for a long time now. I think Florian is a very entertaining fighter with a huge amount of heart, and back when the UFC’s Lightweight division wasn’t nearly as good as it is now, you could always count on Kenny Florian to deliver an entertaining bout. Even better, Florian had a history of finishing fights in what was (at that point) a division filled with decisions.
It’s just that, as I’ve said before, Kenny Florian is one of those “good but not great” fighters.
A lot of people say he chokes in big fights, but I don’t agree. I just think that once he steps onto that championship level and starts facing championship-caliber opponents, his opponents are simply better than him.
That’s some pretty brutal honesty right there, I can admit it. But at this point, maybe it’s time for some brutal honesty. I didn’t say that to disrespect Kenny Florian. I like Kenny Florian, remember? But I’m a realist first and an optimist second. The optimist in me hopes that Florian one day proves us all wrong and finally catches the title he’s been chasing. The realist in me knows that after three failed opportunities, that’s probably just not going to happen.
So what’s left? Here’s some more brutal honesty for you. This is a tough pill for any fighter to swallow, but I think the remainder of Kenny Florian’s career will see him compete as the dominant gatekeeper of whatever division he competes in.
Some would say that there’s nothing wrong with being a gatekeeper, and in this particular case I agree. Kenny Florian can still have a long, fruitful UFC career. He can still beat some good names and get himself onto the higher spots on the card. Kenny Florian is an established fan-favorite, and even though he loses occasionally that hasn’t changed because he hasn’t sacrificed what makes him so entertaining in order to win fights.
Kenny Florian may never capture UFC gold, but I don’t see the UFC ever getting rid of Kenny Florian.
I hope Kenny Florian is able to deal with the fact that he’ll probably never hold a championship. If he can learn to live with that fact, he can still be one of the UFC’s biggest lighter-weight stars.
-----
