MMA Nation - Kenny Florian Opts Against Retirement, Plots Return To Lightweight Division

Back Injury Could Signal The End Of Kenny Florian's MMA Career

2012-01-13T17:13:08Z

The retirement of Kenny Florian could come sooner than expected.

Less than a month after Florian announced his return to the UFC's lightweight division, a lumbar herniated disc in his lower back is threatening to prematurely end the 35-year-old's mixed martial arts career.

Florian initially revealed the injury while discussing his upcoming lightweight comeback in a mid-December interview with Bleacher Report. At the time "K-Flo" trivialized the problem, simply stating, "I have a back injury that I'm letting heal up. As soon as that's cleared, I'll start talking to the UFC about possible opponents."

Now, however, it appears the situation has taken a turn for the worse. Florian recently divulged the extent of his worries to the Boston Herald.

If the injury could be force him into retirement: "It's possible, unfortunately. I've kind of been going back-and-forth with some of the doctors, so it's possible. I'm going to see. As of right now, obviously I can't compete and train like I was at all. I'm just kind of doing what I can and hoping that things heal up and get better. I'm just kind of in a holding pattern. That's why I decided to do this commentary for the time being and take this next six months to really heal up and try to make some money on the side. It sucks. The last couple of months I've just been figuring out what's going on and what I'm going to do."

On the doctor's prognosis: "It's not good. That's why I'm trying to stay hopeful. We'll see. I've been out here in (Los Angeles) doing this show every week for ‘UFC Tonight' for Fuel TV and doing some other things. I'm just hoping that it can heal up and get better and then see if I can go back to doing what I was doing. So far, I still need to rest. If I go to do something physical, I'm just not able to do it. That pain is coming back."

Kenny Florian Plagued By 'Medical Issues' From Featherweight Cut, Planning Lightweight Return

2011-12-20T19:20:22Z

Kenny Florian is getting that itch back.

Just months after announcing a hiatus from MMA after a failed title run at featherweight, Florian is well on his way to returning to the Octagon. The 35-year-old is currently preparing for a return to the lightweight division -- a weight class he competed in from 2006-2010 -- and hopes to have an opponent scheduled by early next year.

While the 145-pound experiment was misguided in retrospect, Florian couldn't have imagined the damage the dramatic weight cut would have on his body.

"Dropping to the featherweight division was way too much for my body to handle," Florian said to Bleacher Report. "The Diego Nunes fight was the worst I've ever felt on a weigh-in day. Luckily, I felt better on fight day and was able to pull out a victory.

"But, against (Jose) Aldo it was a brutal weight cut, and I really didn't feel too great heading into the fight. In result, I had some medical issues I had to deal with. I had a thyroid issue that was based on the drastic weight loss."

Florian went on to lose to Aldo at UFC 136, marking his third failed title shot in as many opportunities. Afterward the veteran was visibly despondent in the post-fight press conference and appeared non-committal about his desire to continue competing. The following week Florian issued a statement that declared the fighter would "take some time" to "evaluate all of (his) options."

Now those troubled thoughts seem to have moved on, but the lingering scars of battle remain. Florian hopes to recover from a back injury sometime within the next two months, after which he will inform UFC officials of his availability. "K-Flo" doesn't have a specific opponent in mind as he returns to his old stomping grounds, but he hopes it'll be a "well-respected, top guy" that could vault him back into title contention.

In the meantime, it's just a matter of getting back into the daily grind and working to prepare his body for the oncoming storm. But the wily veteran wouldn't have it any other way.

"I feel as if I can do this for a few more years. I've never had a problem going to the gym. I love it to a fault," Florian concluded. "I think my career has a few more great years and fights left."

Kenny Florian Still Has 'Fire Burning,' Plots Return To Lightweight Division

2011-10-24T21:20:39Z

Kenny Florian isn't ready to hang up the gloves just yet. Despite issuing a noncommittal statement regarding his future after a loss to UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 136, the perennial contender and fan favorite has decided to continue his mixed martial arts career. Florian tweeted out the news late Sunday night.

"I still love this sport tremendously and still want to be a part of it," the fighter said in an interview with the Boston Herald. "I know myself and it's not even just being competitive, but it's just being there learning and competing. There's still very much a fire burning there so I'm going to do it."

Florian's status was initially wrapped in doubt after dropping the five-round decision to Aldo, his third loss in as many title opportunities. However, the former middleweight revealed that the drop to 145 pounds may have been a misguided experiment that he plans to rectify.

"I don't want there to be an excuse because there's still things I should have executed that I didn't, but I feel that it's tough to go in there at a weight class that you're not sure if you're going to be 100 percent," Florian said. "I'm just going to go back to 155, work my way up, take it one fight at a time and see where it puts me."

According to the Herald, Florian plans on taking six months to rebuild his body for another run at the lightweight division before returning to competition. While the 35-year-old is aware that a long road exists before a fourth shot at a UFC title can appear over the horizon, he remains confident about his abilities to entertain fans in the meantime.

"I don't like making any limits on how many fights or anything like that," Florian concluded. "I know I've still got several good fights in me."

Kenny Florian Denies Retirement, Plans To 'Take Some Time' Off

2011-10-10T20:01:53Z

Retirement isn't in the cards for Kenny Florian just yet, though it could come sooner rather than later.

Following a five-round defeat against UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas -- Florian's third loss in as many title shots -- the 35-year-old perennial contender was rumored to be considering calling it a career. Despite appearing visibly despondent at the post-fight press conference, Florian was noncommittal about his status until Monday afternoon, when he released this statement via Authentic Sports Management (transcribed by MMA Junkie).

"First, I'd like to thank Jose Aldo for giving me the opportunity to compete for the featherweight title last Saturday," Florian stated. "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!"