He’s also going to have a bird’s eye view throughout the PFL’s acquisition of Bellator MMA, which was announced late last year. Ahead of the 15th Annual World MMA Awards in Las Vegas, Florian announced just what the merger meant.

“I think it’s a huge moment for the sport. I think any time you’re able to grow the roster in that manner and get world class fighters, it’s a great thing for the sport,” stated Florian. “I think any time there’s competition there, I think it elevates everybody involved. I think for the Bellator and PFL fighters, they’re always looking to see how they test themselves against other people who are considered the best in the sport, so I think it adds value there.”

“I think it’s going to allow for the PFL to put on a lot of the fights that people have been wanting to see for a long time.”

That last statement might be most important of all. For a while now, the growing PFL, with a home on ESPN, has been punching up. But it lacked the roster depth of Bellator or the UFC, despite a homegrown star in Kayla Harrison. Harrison had long been suggested for a crossover fight with Cris Cyborg, that fight is now a distinct possibility (another would be PFL double-champ Larissa Pacheco versus Cyborg). And the depth issue is now far less of a concern.

As for Florian, he continues to be heard on PFL broadcasts and his own podcast alongside UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik.

“I think both of us add a very different perspective to the sport mostly,” he said of the show, and his work alongside Anik. “So I think seeing it from Jon’s eye, he’s very astute, he’s been around the game such a long time now. And he also gets such great insight into how the fighters come out, and the fight week information, how’s they’re feeling, how they’re looking, all that stuff. And me with my experience. I think we both just do our best to try to explain the sport in the best way possible, have awesome guests, have a fun time doing it.”

Watch our full interview with Kenny Florian above.

The post Kenny Florian Reacts to PFL Acquiring Bellator: “Huge Moment for the Sport” appeared first on Cageside Press.

The Professional Fighters League announced the news on Tuesday via press release. For Florian, it marks a return to broadcasting after having previously served color commentator for select UFC events, including UFC 83 and UFC 134. Florian also served as co-host for MMA Live, as well as UFC Tonight (alongside Michael Bisping).

Outside of MMA, Florian provided commentary for the ABC (and later Science Channel) series BattleBots.

“I’m very excited to be a part of the PFL family and this season looks to be the best one yet,” said Florian, quoted in Tuesday’s press release. “Breaking down MMA fights and high level martial arts techniques is what I enjoy most, and I’m elated to be a part of the tremendous commentary team to get a chance to do just that.”

Florian will join former UFC star and two-division champ Randy Couture, and play-by-play man Sean O’Connell, the PFL’s 2018 light heavyweight champ, in the broadcast booth. The season kicks off on April 23, with PFL 1 2021 airing on ESPN+ and ESPN 2. The remainder of the regular season will be spread out across April 29, May 6, June 10, June 17, and June 25.

The post Kenny Florian Joins PFL Broadcast Team for 2021 Season appeared first on Cageside Press.

It’s been over a decade now since the Ultimate Fighter 1 aired on Spike TV, ostensibly saving the UFC from oblivion. Since that time, one by one, the cast of that first season has headed on down the dusty trail to retirement: Kenny Florian, Stephan Bonnar, Forrest Griffin, Josh Koschek, Chris Leben (from MMA anyway), to name a few. In fact, only Diego Sanchez continues to compete in the UFC, and for how much longer remains to be seen.

A new photo shared by Leben of the TUF 1 cast reunion, however, will give you a good look at how much time has passed since the show aired in early 2005. The original cast photo comes first, for comparison.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmQqp3iHSxJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control

The original Ultimate Fighter aired twelve episodes before the finale, which featured the game-changing brawl between Forrest Griffin and Stephen Bonnar. Often forgotten is that Diego Sanchez also fought that night, finishing Kenny Florian. Not to mention a main event of Rich Franklin finishing Ken Shamrock.

Griffin and Bonnar, of course, were installed in the UFC Hall of Fame for their bout at the TUF 1 Finale, which was held April 9, 2005. Interestingly, coaches Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, who would both leave the promotion (Liddell recently came out of retirement for a fight with Tito Ortiz under Oscar De La Hoya’s upstart MMA promotion), managed to make it back for the reunion. Couture, especially, was seen as on the outs with the UFC of late.

Josh Koscheck did not appear to make it back for the reunion, which is expected to be the focus of a documentary to coincide with the UFC’s upcoming 25th anniversary. Leben, meanwhile, recently announced a return to fighting: not in MMA, but in bareknuckle boxing.

The post UFC: Chris Leben Shares Ultimate Fighter 1 Reunion Photo, And How Time Flies appeared first on Cageside Press.