UFC fighter Kenny Florian (14-6) has had quite the career, transforming himself from an unknown personality into one of the most recognizable faces in the sport of mixed martial arts.
Last Saturday night in Houston, Texas, Florian took a third crack at capturing a UFC title, this time dropping to featherweight after losses at 155 lbs for that divisions title.
At UFC 136, Florian would come up short for a disappointing third time, losing a unanimous decision to champ Jose Aldo. Despite giving it his all, it just wasn’t enough, leaving many of his fans asking “What’s next?”
On Monday, Florian issued a statement via his management, Authentic Sports Management.
“First, I’d like to thank Jose Aldo for giving me the opportunity to compete for the featherweight title last Saturday. I gave the fight my all, but Jose won that night. I would also like to thank the UFC, Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta for their continued support.
I am passionate about mixed martial arts, and I love being involved in this sport. It is incredible to see how much MMA has grown and that, today, there are millions of people who enjoy the UFC as much as I do.
Second, 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. I’ll speak with Dana, and my manager, Glenn Robinson, and we will figure out my next move. 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!”
Florian began his career on the original “The Ultimate Fighter” show as a middleweight losing to Diego Sanchez in the shows finale. Since then, ‘Ken-Flo’ has moved down in weight class, fighting mostly at lightweight and earning two title shots at 155 lbs. He would end up losing to Sean Sherk and BJ Penn in both of those title matches. In June of this year, Florian made his official move to featherweight by earning a decision win over Diego Nunes at UFC 131, garnering him a shot at Aldo and the 145 lb title.