Tim Kennedy: 'Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic'

[Wild]

Kennedy has been vocal about stricter anti-doping policies and more extensive testing. Since he last fought the UFC has brought in the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to work as an independent third-party in conducting out-of-competition tests for the entirety of the UFC’s roster.

Though Kennedy said on the surface the efforts look good, that there’s still some gray areas to address. One of the areas that has perhaps swayed him from returning is the UFC’s sponsorship deal with Reebok. Kennedy talked used this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night 73 in Nashville as an example of how fighters are losing out on endorsement money.

"My disenchantment has come from the business side of it," he said. "The reffing, the sponsorship. Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic. Glover [Teixeira] just fought [Ovince Saint Preux], and the entire Reebok payout was like $100,000 or something. [That’s] everyone, every single athlete from the entire card that night. I made more in sponsorship in Strikeforce than every single athlete on the card that night. In one fight. So me versus Luke Rockhold, or me versus Jacare [Souza], or hell, even my last fight. My last fight in Strikeforce [against Trevor Smith], I made more than every single UFC athlete, to include Glover who just fought for the title against Jon Jones, cumulatively. And if that doesn’t blow your mind and say what is wrong with this sport, then…"

Asked if that would preclude him from returning, Kennedy pointed out that things are going pretty well for him outside of the fight game.

"That’s a major contributing factor," he said. "It’s not any one thing. I’m loving life right now and I’m having so much fun. Scuba diving, skydiving, hunting, finding poachers, finding war criminals, hanging out with my infant son, making out with my hot wife. My life is awesome. Motorcycles, big ol’ snakes, Everglades of Florida, pig hunting in Louisiana, this is good stuff. So Joe Silva has a task of finding something interesting, especially with the circumstances surrounding the UFC as a promotion."

LINK: Tim Kennedy: 'Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic' - MMA Fighting

 

[Pitbull9]

Breaking news Tim Kennedy Cut lol

 

[Wild]

Breaking news Tim Kennedy Cut lol

I think he would love nothing more, to be honest.

 

[ECC170]

This man comes out to "Rooster" by Alice in Chains he's gives no fucks about what Zuffa think..hes a BAD MOFO in every sense of the word..he's fought for his right to speak his mind...GUARANTEE DFW don't talk down to him in person cuz I have a feeling Tim would break his ass off something proper..

 

[Pitbull9]

We need guys on win streaks to go to Bellator to make them more legit. If guys keep going there who are losing it doesn't really look good.

 

[Narcosynthesis]

We need guys on win streaks to go to Bellator to make them more legit. If guys keep going there who are losing it doesn't really look good.

I'd rather all the best fighters stay in the UFC. Bellator serves a purpose though for those that couldn't cut it in the UFC or past-their-prime fighters like Frito Ortiz who still want to compete.

 

[regular john]

do you guys know that Tim Kennedy used to be in the special forces of the U.S. army?

 

[ECC170]

do you guys know that Tim Kennedy used to be in the special forces of the U.S. army?

Yep..that's what I meannt when I said he Fought for the right to speak his mind...AND Rooster was a song written about soldiers coming back from Vietnam and being shunned...

 

[Sweets]

"My disenchantment has come from the business side of it," he said. "The reffing, the sponsorship. Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic. Glover [Teixeira] just fought [Ovince Saint Preux], and the entire Reebok payout was like $100,000 or something. [That’s] everyone, every single athlete from the entire card that night. I made more in sponsorship in Strikeforce than every single athlete on the card that night. In one fight. So me versus Luke Rockhold, or me versus Jacare [Souza], or hell, even my last fight. My last fight in Strikeforce [against Trevor Smith], I made more than every single UFC athlete, to include Glover who just fought for the title against Jon Jones, cumulatively. And if that doesn’t blow your mind and say what is wrong with this sport, then…"

Hard to argue with that.

Smart play too, if they want to through him to the wolves it's big fights all round.

 

[ChaosOverkill]

making out with my hot wife

lol I've come around on Tim.


Fighters will scatter as more and more hate this deal, not the reverse, they will take care of themselves when given options. The UFC knows what it needs to do to change that tide if they want to, but they already don't have all the best out there and never had. Nick Newell, Khalidov etc not signed when it was there to be had (among a litany of others) but CM Punk and slew of Brazillian nobodies with less then 5 fights? You don't care about having all the best contender field then and are hoping people don't notice and casuals don't learn.

 

[EricDehm]

Contacted Tim's reps about getting him on my show and they said he'd love to in the fall, as he's currently filming a show that should be out around then. Point being, I don't think he needs to fight anymore if he doesn't want to. Has other options, and having "former UFC fighter" on his resumé is just as valuable as "current UFC fighter" would be. Also, as I said on twitter: Tim knows what to fear, and speaking out honesty isn't it.

 

[SickEye]

It may be horrible time for the fighters with the reprehensible strong-arm tactics that the UFC employs coupled with the atrocious pay scale, but it's a great time to be a fan.

 

[Pitbull9]

I'd rather all the best fighters stay in the UFC. Bellator serves a purpose though for those that couldn't cut it in the UFC or past-their-prime fighters like Frito Ortiz who still want to compete.

I would like to see Bellator get some great fighters. Reebok deal is really screwing guys over. UFC is getting to big for their own good.

 

[Psychotropic Wanderlust]

I can see how Tim can rub people the wrong way, but I think he's fucking awesome.

 

[Psychotropic Wanderlust]

"My disenchantment has come from the business side of it," he said. "The reffing, the sponsorship. Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic. Glover [Teixeira] just fought [Ovince Saint Preux], and the entire Reebok payout was like $100,000 or something. [That’s] everyone, every single athlete from the entire card that night. I made more in sponsorship in Strikeforce than every single athlete on the card that night. In one fight. So me versus Luke Rockhold, or me versus Jacare [Souza], or hell, even my last fight. My last fight in Strikeforce [against Trevor Smith], I made more than every single UFC athlete, to include Glover who just fought for the title against Jon Jones, cumulatively. And if that doesn’t blow your mind and say what is wrong with this sport, then…"

 

[dacofty]

Yea Dana is an idiot but he isn't stupid. he knows Kennedy is wanting out so he will hold him. But at some point enough talk will get him a release

 

[ECC170]

I'd rather all the best fighters stay in the UFC. Bellator serves a purpose though for those that couldn't cut it in the UFC or past-their-prime fighters like Frito Ortiz who still want to compete.

Thats what we have been conditioned to think of Bellator as...I want the best fighters to go where they can make the best living for their family...and in all honesty the money man behind Bellator make Zuffa look poor..

 

[Kinosis]

Yea Dana is an idiot but he isn't stupid. he knows Kennedy is wanting out so he will hold him. But at some point enough talk will get him a release

Yup, they will do like they have done to other fighters before (Randy Couture, Wanderlei Silva, Arlovski) and make them run out their contracts just so they couldn't go to the competition.

 

[Wild]

Yup, they will do like they have done to other fighters before (Randy Couture, Wanderlei Silva, Arlovski) and make them run out their contracts just so they couldn't go to the competition.

View: https://youtu.be/07gwTpj6dM0?t=1m33s

 

[Kinosis]

View: https://youtu.be/07gwTpj6dM0?t=1m33s

Dana is such a piece of garbage.

 

[SongExotic2]

Tim favorited my tweet. Hopefully he follows here and spits some truth bombs because I find it remarkable when a fighter does not give a fuck and tells it how it is.

Tim has always been one of those men.


I have nothing but the utmost respect for him.


Apart from what he said and did to the count.

If he does make an account you should ban him for that.

 

[TedCzech]

Kennedy has been vocal about stricter anti-doping policies and more extensive testing. Since he last fought the UFC has brought in the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to work as an independent third-party in conducting out-of-competition tests for the entirety of the UFC’s roster.

Though Kennedy said on the surface the efforts look good, that there’s still some gray areas to address. One of the areas that has perhaps swayed him from returning is the UFC’s sponsorship deal with Reebok. Kennedy talked used this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night 73 in Nashville as an example of how fighters are losing out on endorsement money.

"My disenchantment has come from the business side of it," he said. "The reffing, the sponsorship. Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic. Glover [Teixeira] just fought [Ovince Saint Preux], and the entire Reebok payout was like $100,000 or something. [That’s] everyone, every single athlete from the entire card that night. I made more in sponsorship in Strikeforce than every single athlete on the card that night. In one fight. So me versus Luke Rockhold, or me versus Jacare [Souza], or hell, even my last fight. My last fight in Strikeforce [against Trevor Smith], I made more than every single UFC athlete, to include Glover who just fought for the title against Jon Jones, cumulatively. And if that doesn’t blow your mind and say what is wrong with this sport, then…"

Asked if that would preclude him from returning, Kennedy pointed out that things are going pretty well for him outside of the fight game.

"That’s a major contributing factor," he said. "It’s not any one thing. I’m loving life right now and I’m having so much fun. Scuba diving, skydiving, hunting, finding poachers, finding war criminals, hanging out with my infant son, making out with my hot wife. My life is awesome. Motorcycles, big ol’ snakes, Everglades of Florida, pig hunting in Louisiana, this is good stuff. So Joe Silva has a task of finding something interesting, especially with the circumstances surrounding the UFC as a promotion."

LINK: Tim Kennedy: 'Where the sport is now is horrible and tragic and pathetic' - MMA Fighting

I always like to hear about fighters who have other interests/sources of income beyond fighting. Sounds like Tim is living a good life -- he's got that tactical company, Sheepdog Response and I think he also owns Ranger Up, plus he might get something for his military service. Good on him that he doesn't depend on the UFC.

 

[SongExotic2]

Tim favorited my tweet. Hopefully he follows here and spits some truth bombs because I find it remarkable when a fighter does not give a fuck and tells it how it is.

Tim has always been one of those men.


I have nothing but the utmost respect for him.


Apart from what he said and did to the count.

If he does make an account you should ban him for that.

I hope you banned him

 

[Obi-Wan-In-A-Million]

I always like to hear about fighters who have other interests/sources of income beyond fighting. Sounds like Tim is living a good life -- he's got that tactical company, Sheepdog Response and I think he also owns Ranger Up, plus he might get something for his military service. Good on him that he doesn't depend on the UFC.

I really like Ranger Up. They've got some really cool gear and they support the military and its veterans. I hope that company continues to grow and make Tim a shitload of cash, which would also mean a shitload of cash given to veteran organizations.

 

[CRE]