What's up everyone, Luis Cruz here with just 24 hours until The Ultimate Fighter 3 season finale. I'm joined by one of the main event participants, Kenny Florian.
MMANews- What's up Kenny?
K.F- Hey what's up, how are you?
MMANews- Pretty good. Real quick before we talk about the fight tomorrow night, how were the weigh ins?
K.F- Yeah i just got done weighing in and i was 155lbs, which is right on the money and it was an easy weight cut. I have a really great conditioning and nutrition guy, he's unbelievable.
MMANews- Sam Stout was fine with making weight?
K.F- Yeah, i don't think he had any problems.
MMANews- For those not familiar with you, can you tell us real quick how you started out in mma ad what is your martial arts backround?
K.F- I started doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu about nine years ago after watching Royce Gracie in the early UFC's. I began doing it all over the world in competitions like submission wrestling and B.J.J tournaments. Three years ago i wanted to fight in mma so i fought the toughest guy in my area in an mma bout and beat him. I really only trained like two weeks before my first mma fight, i was pretty much just a B.J.J guy fighting in mma. Dana White actually seen me in one of my fights and approached me about this show called The Ultimate Fighter. I got accepted at a weight that was actually two weightclasses above my normal weight (185lbs). I landed up making it to the finals where i lost (to Diego Sanchez) but received a UFC contract. That's where i've been ever since. I was fighting at 170lbs and now they brought back 155lbs which is my real weightclass i want to fight in and am comfortable at. So i'm happy about that.
MMANews- You said you trained in mostly B.J.J, if you could back to the beginning would you change anything and focus on other aspects more?
K.F- Right now i'm happy with the way everything turned out. I started out with B.J.J and then i started learning wrestling and i trained with Darrell Gholar who was a coach for the olympic team Colorado Springs and other coaches in Brazil. I started training Muay Thai two years ago. So i consider myself a true mixed martial artist. I don't care who you are, you have to know it all these days and that's what i'm aiming for. I want to have a game that's dangerous everywhere.
MMANews- Definately. To be a champ today, you have to be a well rounded fighter. Now i heard you were recently in Thailand training, is that true?
K.F- Yes i spent about a month in Thailand. It was a trip i planned before i was suppose to fight Stout the first time. I went over there to train with the best Thai fighters in the world. It was amazing, the kids over there are literally fighting for their lives everyday. They start training and fighting at the age of 7 to 8 years old. They fight over there to provide for their families, some fight for just a bowl of rice. It was really inspirational for me and it took my game to a whole new level being over there. You train with the best, you're going to get better. It's as simple as that.
MMANews- Is it as crazy as it looks on tv or in the movies over there?
K.F- (Laughs) They're like animals over there. They train hard on the pads, twice a day, and in over 100 degree weather with a lot of humidity. But when they do spar it's usually very light because a lot of these guys are fighting every weekend. So when they do spar it's very little and very technical to avoid any of these guys to get hurt since they fight to feed their families. But when they do fight, they fight with all they have. They fight with a lot of pride.
MMANews- You mentioned a couple people you trained with, is there anyone you train with that you would refuse to fight, like some other fighters say?
K.F- No, i actually don't have any conflict right now with my camp. Unless it's my brother, i don't see me having a problem with it right now.
MMANews- Have you seen the last two seasons of the Ultimate fighter?
K.F- Yes.
MMANews- Out of those two seasons, who did you feel had the most potential?
K.F- Joe Stevenson is one, Rashad Evans is another, and Bisping and Grove also comes to mind. There are a lot of guys with potential but talent doesn't always make you a great fighter and a lot of these guys have a lot of talent but some of them like to go out and party too much. We'll have to wait and see what happens with these guys from seasons two and three. It bascially comes down to who really wants it the most.
MMANews- Now compared to the first season you were on, there have been numerous walkouts these last two seasons, what are your thoughts on that?
K.F- Oh man, it's crazy. I'll say first, on our season i don't know if it was an advantage or disadvantage, but we didn't know what would happen or what was going on. In our minds, if we didn't make it or win on the show, we were done with the UFC. So we all fought our hearts out. We were on tv with an opportunity to fight for the top mma organization. These guys who walkout, are taking an opportunity from someone else who would've loved to get a chance and fight for it. I don't know what the problems were, family issues or whatever, but the excuses i heard for them not wanting to fight i just didn't understand that.
MMANews- What did you think about Noah (Inhofer) leaving for his girlfriend?
K.F- Man, if i did that and came home to my girlfriend she would smack me and kick me in the nuts and ask me what the hell i'm doing? You're either a fighter or you're not.
MMANews- She'd probably leave you for being a pus.
(Both Laugh)
K.F- Yeah exactly, that's a dream of mine and if a girl wanted to take a dream of mine then she could say goodbye to me. Not your girlfriend, parent, or friend should stop you from your dream. If a something like that (Noah) is going to stop you, i just think that's an excuse and you don't really want it.
MMANews- I think everybody agrees with you. Now let's go back to season one, do you ever want a rematch with Diego (Sanchez) or are you done and over that?
K.F- The person in me is done with that. I know what i did or didn't do in that fight. I didn't even show up that night because i know what i can do. But right now i want to see what i can do at 155lbs and if i capture a title there then maybe i'll get excited to go back up. Diego's a great fighter and i'd like the rematch to prove that wasn't me that night and i'm better than that. I've also improved leaps and bounds since that time so yeah i'd eventually like a rematch.
MMANews- Now the UFC Lightweight division is already looking stacked and it just got started. Where do you rank yourself in the division right now and who do you see as the top three threats?
K.F- I see Hominick as a top guy and even though he lost i still see Yves as another one. I don't really want to comment on some others that are coming down to 155lbs because i haven't seen them there yet. Fighters like Joe Stevenson and Sean Sherk. (Spencer) Fisher is another guy who have to consider a top guy. Stout is still a top 155lbs fighter and that's my only concern right now. Whatever happens after this fight happens. I'm happy being at 155lbs, i'm comfortable, and feel great.
MMANews- Now aside from facing Sherk for the title if you win, who else would you like to face at 155lbs?
K.F- Actually, right now it's just a rumor because i haven't heard it from any UFC official. Now that could be the case but i haven't heard it myself so i don't know for sure. I just want to fight whoever's up there, i'd like to fight maybe the winner of Jorge Gurgel and Mark Hominick, Joe Stevenson, and Spencer Fisher. You know, whoever the best fighters are and that's it. I just want to show everyone what i've been doing with my training and how good i am.
MMANews- Ok, i actually thought this was an official number one contender bout to face Sean Sherk later this year for the Lightweight title. Was that just a rumor?
K.F- Well i haven't heard it from the UFC officials yet but that's what all the mma news sites are reporting so maybe it's something that's emanating but i haven't heard anything offical yet myself.
MMANews- Ok let's talk about your opponent tomorrow night, Sam Stout. What's the gameplan, are you going to keep it standing or take it to the ground right away and look for a submission?
K.F- I'm going to show a little of everything. I'm a New England kid and we have all four seasons there so i'm going to change like the weather. Whatever he wants to do i, i'm not going to play by his game. I'm going to dictate the pace and how and where this fight goes and i'll tell you this, i'm in no hurry to take this fight to the ground. I know his weakness is submission defense and i can take him down and submit him. But i also seen some weaknesses in his game standing, so i hope to expose that also. If he gives me an opening i'll take him down, but i'm going to show a little of everything.
MMANews- Prediction?
K.F- I'm going to submit him or knock him out, i don't want it to go to the judges. He talked a little trash and his team talked a little trash, so after this fight they're going to respect me one way or the other.
MMANews- Ok lastly Kenny, the UFC just signed a huge threat for the Lightweights in Jens Pulver again. He was the UFC Lightweight champ and left the company due to contract issues and never actually lost the title. What are your thoughts on his return?
K.F- Wow, i didn't actually know that. So it's true that the UFC signed Pulver?
MMANews- Oh yeah he signed.
K.F- That's a phenominal addition and Jens joining the elite of the elite in the Lightweight divisons. That's great, Jens is a guy i have a great amount of respect for. It just shows how the UFC is commited to bringing great fights. They resigned Pulver after the contract dispute back then, they brought back Tito and others also that they had previous issues with him. Bringing back Pulver will help me raise my level and motivate me to be an even stronger fighter.
MMANews- Now he's (Pulver) obviously going to be a top contender for the title right off the bat, so i'm assuming you'll be gunning for him?
K.F- Absolutely, yeah.
MMANews- Now before i let you go Kenny, is there any sponsors you want to thank and anything you want to say to your fans?
K.F- Yea, i'd like to thank NHBGear.com, TUFGUY Productions, North American Grappling Association Nagafighter.com, United Nissian in Vegas, and the best fight shorts in the sport today Sprawl fight shorts. Check out my website KennyFlorian.com. I'd like to thank my mma fight team, Sityodtong who've been helping me get ready in Boston and here in Vegas. I just have the best guys to work with in the world. I'd like to thank my friends over at Boston Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my trainer Mark DellaGrotte, Keith Florian, and strength and conditioning coach Doug Dupont who is an absolute genius. I'd like to thank all those guys and all my fans from Boston and all across the country, it's an honor representing Boston.
MMANews- Alright Kenny, lots of luck to you tomorrow night. We look forward to a great and entertaining main event. Thanks a lot for joining us Kenny.
K.F- My pleasure, keep up the great work i love the show (CFZ Radio).
MMANews- Thanks a lot Kenny, take care.
K.F- You too.
*For more information on Kenny Florian, visit his website at KennyFlorian.com where you can read more about him in detail. He's done a lot and been through tough times, so check it out for a great read. Don't forget to tune to in tomorrow night (6-24) at 9:00pm ET/8:00pmCT on Spike TV to catch Kenny Florian in the main event of a good card when he takes on tough Lightweight contender Sam Stout on The Ultimate Fighter season 3 finale live!
*For more information on The Ultimate Fighter 3 finale and other mma news check MMANews.com.
*For a great and live mma show with great interviews and breakdowns to upcoming events check out Radio.MMANews.com with myself, TUF season 2 contestant Seth Petruzelli, and Matt Boone.
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