What we do know, at least for now, is that we’ve seen the last of Tim Kennedy.
The former UFC middleweight, who rose to prominence as a title contender under the Strikeforce banner, feuding with Luke Rockhold and Robbie Lawler, among others, announced his retirement on Monday night.
A lot of my coaches, friends and fans immediately tried to build me up again. “Kelvin has the right skillset to beat you and it was your first fight back.” “You had ring rust.” “You’re still a top 10 middleweight.” I appreciated their comments and I don’t think they are wrong. I know I am still a good fighter. I know I was away a while. But they didn’t feel what I felt, and that’s being 37. I felt like I was in slow motion the entire match. I felt tired for the first time ever in a fight. I’m the guy that once graduated Ranger School – a place that starves you and denies you sleep for over two months – and took a fight six days later in the IFL and won. I’m the guy that is always in shape. And I was for this fight. I worked harder than I ever have before for this fight. But I wasn’t me anymore. My brain knew what to do but my body did not respond. I’ve watched other fighters arrive here. I’ve watched other fighters pretend they weren’t here. I will not be one of them.
The armed forces veteran and hunter of Hitler would return to the Octagon more than two years later against Rashad Evans, but when “Suga” was pulled from UFC 205 in New York, Kennedy moved on to challenge Kelvin Gastelum.
What we do know, at least for now, is that we’ve seen the last of Tim Kennedy.
The former UFC middleweight, who rose to prominence as a title contender under the Strikeforce banner, feuding with Luke Rockhold and Robbie Lawler, among others, announced his retirement on Monday night.
A lot of my coaches, friends and fans immediately tried to build me up again. “Kelvin has the right skillset to beat you and it was your first fight back.” “You had ring rust.” “You’re still a top 10 middleweight.” I appreciated their comments and I don’t think they are wrong. I know I am still a good fighter. I know I was away a while. But they didn’t feel what I felt, and that’s being 37. I felt like I was in slow motion the entire match. I felt tired for the first time ever in a fight. I’m the guy that once graduated Ranger School – a place that starves you and denies you sleep for over two months – and took a fight six days later in the IFL and won. I’m the guy that is always in shape. And I was for this fight. I worked harder than I ever have before for this fight. But I wasn’t me anymore. My brain knew what to do but my body did not respond. I’ve watched other fighters arrive here. I’ve watched other fighters pretend they weren’t here. I will not be one of them.
The armed forces veteran and hunter of Hitler would return to the Octagon more than two years later against Rashad Evans, but when “Suga” was pulled from UFC 205 in New York, Kennedy moved on to challenge Kelvin Gastelum.
