Perennial title contender and fan favorite Kenny Florian retired from the sport of MMA last week after battling back pain for most of his career.
Kenny had attained a MMA record of 14-6, competing for the great majority of his career in the UFC since being a finalist on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Kenny is the only fighter in UFC history to ever compete in four different weight categories, going into the TUF house as a middleweight, then gradually working his way down to featherweight. Who knows, with a little more time, and perhaps the amputation of a limb, Kenny may have tried his hand in the new flyweight division.
He would earn himself title shots on three different occasions, coming up short every time.
But let that not tarnish the legacy of Florian. He was a great fighter, a great personality and continues to be—through his duties as a commentator—a great ambassador for the sport.
And let us not be unappreciative of the fact that Kenny looks more like an economics professor than a fighter. In an age of quantity over quality, tattoos and manufactured eccentricity, a guy who looks so unassuming but can whoop some serious tail is a refreshing sight.