Filed under: UFC
BOSTON — Kenny Florian is the type of cerebral fighter who doesn’t waste time getting overly invested in back-and-forth pre-fight chatter. In fact, it’s downright unusual to hear Florian spout negatives about his opponent. He tends to stress his foe’s strengths, realizing they are hurdles for him to jump.
Yet one comment made by UFC 118 opponent Gray Maynard seemed to have gotten under Florian’s skin. In a recent interview, Maynard voiced a belief that Florian tends to wilt under pressure. It was a comment to which the two-time top contender in the division took exception.
“I’m not sure where he got that from,” Florian said following a media workout on Thursday. “When I had minimal skills and experience, I fought Sean Sherk for five rounds, and he beat me up good, but I was there until the end, trying to win with an arm lock or trying to knock his head off; whatever I could. I don’t know what he’s talking about. He’s ‘The Bully.’ He’s the guy who needs to be concerned with what happens if his will gets broken.