Kebal
1st April 2010, 22:05
UFC Fight Night 21's Kenny Florian defends Takanori Gomi against naysayers
http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/takanori-gomi-7.jpg
Immediately after Kenny Florian's dominating submission victory against Takanori Gomi at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 21 event, the critics came out. Gomi, once a PRIDE champion and the top-ranked lightweight in the world, is past his prime, they said.
But the Japanese star had an ally in is corner at the post-fight press conference, and it was the man standing opposite him in the octagon.
As he had in the buildup to the Spike TV-televised fight in Charlotte, N.C., Florian defended Gomi as an opponent worthy of respect.
"I think Takanori Gomi is a very, very tough fighter," Florian told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after the fight. "I think it just happened to be my night. That's the way fans are in this sport, I think. You lose, you stink. You win, you're the best. So, I just try and ignore all that stuff."
The loss brought Gomi's record to 4-3 since the end of PRIDE Fighting Championships in March 2007. Florian, however, urged fans not to write off the former champion.
"You don't get there by mistake, and you don't just fall off like nothing," Florian said. "I know who I was in there with, and I just worry about what I needed to go out there and do tonight during the fight. That was a great opponent out there. That's it."
Florian knows about naysayers. The veteran of the original season of "The Ultimate Fighter" lost a second bid for the lightweight title this past August and heard critics who said he is destined to be a high-level gatekeeper in the 155-pound division as B.J. Penn continues to dominate. He responded by re-vamping his preparation while finding joy in the day-to-day grind.
On Wednesday night, he punished Gomi with endless jabs and dominated the fight on the ground. He looked relaxed but not reckless.
Gomi (31-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC), meanwhile, swung for the fences and hit a lot of air.
"I sensed he was a little nervous, but so was I," Florian said. "I was a little nervous out there. We all are. The key is just really not letting that control you. You have to control it.
"I gave him a lot of credit, and I told this to him backstage, 'To go to a different country, compete in a different country, different language, different environment, different arena – all that stuff is very tough for a fighter.' For him to come in here and take that challenge, you've got to give the guy a lot of respect."
Florian (13-4 MMA, 11-3 UFC) said the old axiom that aa veteran's power is last to go is true with Gomi. Most of the shots missed. But the ones that landed, well, they hurt.
"I had to be in that firefight a little bit," he said. "I definitely felt his power."
With his second consecutive octagon win behind him, Florian plans to take his first vacation in five years and evaluate his career options afterward. A UFC event planned for Aug. 29 in Boston is attractive, and he is open to a fight with lightweight standout Gray Maynard, who said he wanted to face the winner of the Florian-Gomi fight.
But he isn't going to let go of his goal of winning the title one day. He's ready to work his way to a third title bid.
"The champion is still out there, B.J. Penn," Florian said. "Whoever has the belt, obviously I see that as the ultimate goal, but I just want to face a tough guy – a guy that I could definitely get something out of, the elite guys.
"I'm sure I'll do that. I'm in the UFC. We'll get some tough guys lined up."
Gomi's place in the UFC lightweight division is now a question mark. He's a star in hardcore circles and overseas, but it remains to be seen if the UFC will attempt to rebuild him or throw another top contender his direction.
"He could be very comfortable fighting in Japan and maybe even making more money; who knows?" Florian said. "He came here in the best organization and fought me. I give a lot of respect to him, and it's an honor to be able to fight a guy like that from Japan.
"I've been wanting to fight him for a little while just because I'm such a fan of his. If you want to be legend of the sport, you've got beat legends and beat the best. I consider him one of the best."
Florian said his campaign to fight Gomi was not an effort to capitalize on a ailing legend's name. He just wanted to get better.
"I didn't have anyone in my mind – not even Takanori Gomi," he said. "I got better for me, what I needed to do to get better. I'm going to continue to do that."
http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/takanori-gomi-7.jpg
Immediately after Kenny Florian's dominating submission victory against Takanori Gomi at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 21 event, the critics came out. Gomi, once a PRIDE champion and the top-ranked lightweight in the world, is past his prime, they said.
But the Japanese star had an ally in is corner at the post-fight press conference, and it was the man standing opposite him in the octagon.
As he had in the buildup to the Spike TV-televised fight in Charlotte, N.C., Florian defended Gomi as an opponent worthy of respect.
"I think Takanori Gomi is a very, very tough fighter," Florian told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after the fight. "I think it just happened to be my night. That's the way fans are in this sport, I think. You lose, you stink. You win, you're the best. So, I just try and ignore all that stuff."
The loss brought Gomi's record to 4-3 since the end of PRIDE Fighting Championships in March 2007. Florian, however, urged fans not to write off the former champion.
"You don't get there by mistake, and you don't just fall off like nothing," Florian said. "I know who I was in there with, and I just worry about what I needed to go out there and do tonight during the fight. That was a great opponent out there. That's it."
Florian knows about naysayers. The veteran of the original season of "The Ultimate Fighter" lost a second bid for the lightweight title this past August and heard critics who said he is destined to be a high-level gatekeeper in the 155-pound division as B.J. Penn continues to dominate. He responded by re-vamping his preparation while finding joy in the day-to-day grind.
On Wednesday night, he punished Gomi with endless jabs and dominated the fight on the ground. He looked relaxed but not reckless.
Gomi (31-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC), meanwhile, swung for the fences and hit a lot of air.
"I sensed he was a little nervous, but so was I," Florian said. "I was a little nervous out there. We all are. The key is just really not letting that control you. You have to control it.
"I gave him a lot of credit, and I told this to him backstage, 'To go to a different country, compete in a different country, different language, different environment, different arena – all that stuff is very tough for a fighter.' For him to come in here and take that challenge, you've got to give the guy a lot of respect."
Florian (13-4 MMA, 11-3 UFC) said the old axiom that aa veteran's power is last to go is true with Gomi. Most of the shots missed. But the ones that landed, well, they hurt.
"I had to be in that firefight a little bit," he said. "I definitely felt his power."
With his second consecutive octagon win behind him, Florian plans to take his first vacation in five years and evaluate his career options afterward. A UFC event planned for Aug. 29 in Boston is attractive, and he is open to a fight with lightweight standout Gray Maynard, who said he wanted to face the winner of the Florian-Gomi fight.
But he isn't going to let go of his goal of winning the title one day. He's ready to work his way to a third title bid.
"The champion is still out there, B.J. Penn," Florian said. "Whoever has the belt, obviously I see that as the ultimate goal, but I just want to face a tough guy – a guy that I could definitely get something out of, the elite guys.
"I'm sure I'll do that. I'm in the UFC. We'll get some tough guys lined up."
Gomi's place in the UFC lightweight division is now a question mark. He's a star in hardcore circles and overseas, but it remains to be seen if the UFC will attempt to rebuild him or throw another top contender his direction.
"He could be very comfortable fighting in Japan and maybe even making more money; who knows?" Florian said. "He came here in the best organization and fought me. I give a lot of respect to him, and it's an honor to be able to fight a guy like that from Japan.
"I've been wanting to fight him for a little while just because I'm such a fan of his. If you want to be legend of the sport, you've got beat legends and beat the best. I consider him one of the best."
Florian said his campaign to fight Gomi was not an effort to capitalize on a ailing legend's name. He just wanted to get better.
"I didn't have anyone in my mind – not even Takanori Gomi," he said. "I got better for me, what I needed to do to get better. I'm going to continue to do that."