As the Time magazine 2006 Person of the Year, it's no surprise that Dana White recently tapped lightweight fighter and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one finalist Kenny Florian (4-3) to represent the UFC at the biannual Television Critics Association (TCA) meeting in Pasadena, California.
Florian and another well-spoken 155 pounder, Jens Pulver (21-7-1), were on hand to discuss and answer questions about the hit reality series on SpikeTV, according to the Boston Herald.
Here's a snip from "Ken-Flo:"
"It was a good opportunity to hype up the UFC and dispel some myths and educate the national media about the sport. You had some people who were educated about it, but you had some critics asking if you could throw chairs or if you could punch each other in the groin."
The TCA is apparently a not-so-bright "group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian journalists and columnists who cover television programming."
It still amazes me to hear some of the gross misconceptions — especially those in the media — about mixed martial arts.
Anyway, more important, Florian mentions that he has just returned from Hawaii, where he was training with BJ Penn (10-4-1) for his upcoming bout with Dokonjonosuke Mishima (17-5-2) at UFC Fight Night 9 on April 5.
Here's another snip:
"It's good to get away for a little bit to train. I was working out with B.J. and some other world-class fighters there.... He's [Mishima] very well respected over in Japan. I'm looking forward to this fight. I really want to make a statement: I'm here, I'm back, I'm better."
Both Florian are Mishima are looking to rebound from recent losses.
Florian lossed a unanimous decision to Sean Sherk (31-2-1) at UFC 64 for the vacant UFC lightweight title. And Mishima dropped his Octagon debut to Joe Stevenson (26-7) one month later at UFC 65 via guillotine choke.
Pulver, of course, is one of two coaches along with Penn who will work with the 16 lightweight fighters on the upcoming TUF 5 season.
He and Penn will then face off at the TUF 5 Finale on June 23.
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