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Kenny Florian: Why a Return to Fighting Would Be a Mistake

When Kenny Florian retired earlier this year, many fans were sad to see the UFC vet leave. Although Florian made the decision to leave the sport just a few days after his 36th birthday, the main cause of his retirement were injuries. No one l…

When Kenny Florian retired earlier this year, many fans were sad to see the UFC vet leave.

Although Florian made the decision to leave the sport just a few days after his 36th birthday, the main cause of his retirement were injuries.

No one likes to see someone go out against their will. Especially someone with as much talent as Florian.

Recently, Florian told MMAJunkie radio that he was recovering very well and was hoping to get back to training.

When asked if he would be open to return to fighting, Florian said he remained undecided on if he would come back but never say never.

Although many fans may love to see him come back so he can go out on his own terms, it may be a better idea to stay retired.

For one, Florian’s recurring injuries could lead to something more permanent if he continues to fight.

Florian could not even train properly because of his back injury, and not training properly could lead to hurting himself even more.

Florian also has nothing else to prove in the sport.

In Florian’s nine-year MMA career, he has defeated many fighters in multiple weight classes including Clay Guida, Diego Nunes, and Takanori Gomi.

Although Florian has finished many good fighters in his career, he may be known more for his losses than his wins.

While some fighters hope to just reach one title fight, Florian fought in three, losing to Sean Sherk, BJ Penn, and, most recently, Jose Aldo at featherweight.

Although a UFC title has eluded Florian, considering he is 36 and has a great career as a commentator ahead of him, Florian should stick to enjoying the retired life.

If he can get healthy and back in shape, the temptation to come back will be there.

But it may be best if he plays it safe and stays away from competing in the sport.

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Matt Hughes and Sean Sherk: It’s Time to Retire from the UFC

Would you believe me, if I told you this very instant, that Sean Sherk is still on the UFC roster?It’s true. To the best of my knowledge, Sherk is still maintaining a spot on the roster despite not having actually stepped in the cage in close to two ye…

Would you believe me, if I told you this very instant, that Sean Sherk is still on the UFC roster?

It’s true. To the best of my knowledge, Sherk is still maintaining a spot on the roster despite not having actually stepped in the cage in close to two years. That was UFC 119 and Sherk’s opponent was Evan Dunham, and Sherk somehow won a split-decision victory despite—at least according to most of us who actually, you know, watched the fight—not really winning a decision at all.

It’s been well over four years at this point since Sherk has convincingly won a fight. Yet he’s still maintaining a roster spot, and I’m not sure why.

I’m much more understanding when it comes to Matt Hughes, but he’s in the same kind of weird holding pattern as Sherk. He lost his previous two fights, with his last actual appearance in the cage coming a year ago at UFC 135, and he’s been virtually nonexistent since that night.

He showed up for a Hall of Fame induction—an honor that is richly deserved—and made a few comments here and there about letting his wife decide if was the right time for him to walk away from the sport where he made his name.

Will Hughes come back to the cage? Your guess is as good as mine. But here’s the dilemma: What’s the point?

We hear Dana White say it about aging fighters all the time, but it certainly rings true for Hughes: This guy has absolutely nothing to prove. There is no reason for him to step back in the cage again, not ever, not for any reason. He hasn’t been great since losing to Georges St-Pierre back in 2006, but the last six years of his career will never and could never cast a shadow over what Hughes accomplished during the first portion of his career.

Hughes had a brief resurgence in 2009 and 2010, but let’s be honest with ourselves here—at the end of the day, he still beat Matt Serra, Renzo Gracie and Ricardo Almeida, three fighters who were also already well past their expiration dates when they faced Hughes.

And we shouldn’t forget that Hughes was viciously knocked out in his last two fights with Josh Koscheck and B.J. Penn. The chin isn’t there anymore, so what’s the point in going out and risking brain damage by taking needless punishment? Hughes doesn’t need to fight.

Sherk isn’t in the same boat. He’s not a legend like Hughes, and I doubt very highly that he’s made enough money over the course of his career that he can just walk away now and live for the rest of his life on his UFC nest egg. Sherk probably needs to fight, and yet he just continues to string it along, always putting one toe in or out and never going all the way.

It’s time to make a decision. If Hughes and Sherk made the decision today to walk away from this sport, I’d applaud them and thank them for all they’ve done as pioneers for the sport in their respective weight classes. But there’s no point in stringing it along, in putting it off in the hopes of making a late-career resurgence on par with Randy Couture.

It just isn’t going to happen, and the time has come to deal with it.

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UFC 146 Results: 5 Fights to Get Edson Barboza Back on Track

Coming in to UFC 146, Edson Barboza was put on a pedestal. Veteran Jamie Varner kicked it out from under him.With an extravagant striking arsenal and a want to stand and trade, Barboza is a crowd-pleaser. The 26-year-old is still growing as a fighter, …

Coming in to UFC 146, Edson Barboza was put on a pedestal. Veteran Jamie Varner kicked it out from under him.

With an extravagant striking arsenal and a want to stand and trade, Barboza is a crowd-pleaser. The 26-year-old is still growing as a fighter, and the loss to the former WEC World Champion will help his growth.

Barboza’s next fight will serve to put him back on the winning track and inch him closer to the tall, tall ladder of the UFC’s Lightweight division.

The Brazilian already holds UFC wins over three tough lightweights, so there is no need to throw Barboza a sacrificial lamb. Let’s look ahead at five potential opponents that will get the fan favorite back in the 155-pound discussion.

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5 MMA Fighters Who Did More with Less

MMA fans have been spoiled in recent years with the likes of Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Brock Lesnar and Anderson Silva. In the good ole days, we were satisfied when two guys stepped into the cage and just swung for the fences.Now we’re seeing…

Now we’re seeing front-kick knockouts, flying triangles and athletes springing themselves off the cage, throwing cinema-like spinning kicks that actually connect on their opponent’s chin.

These athletes have incredible, natural physical gifts and have begun to take over the sport. Not only that, but they have truly changed the direction that it will head in years to come.

No longer is technique alone good enough to be the best. To be the best, fighters will need that rare combination of technique and natural ability.

But it hasn’t always been that way and for many fighters, it wasn’t anywhere near this easy. These five fighters had to make use of what they were given, and in some cases it wasn’t all that much when compared to some of their opponents.

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Sean Sherk: 5 Potential UFC Return Fights for the Veteran

After being plagued with injury for much of his more recent career, Sean Sherk seems to be on track to making a return to the UFC. A former champion whose legacy was tarnished due to steroid use, Sherk looks to make a return to the Octagon soon and has…

Sherk has always been a talented fighter, using a great wrestling base in combination with solid boxing, great cardio and superior strength. Sherk returns to the most talent-laden division, lightweight, and looks to make a run at the belt.

Here are five opponents that Sherk could meet in his return.

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Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club: How the Hell Are There No Reviews for This Yet?

(Props: Amazon.com, via CP reader “joe sons balls,” who claims that he randomly came upon one of Phil Baroni‘s old fetish-modeling gigs while searching for XTC t-shirts. Sure, buddy. Your secret’s safe with us.)