• UFC 136

Florian determined to prove he is no 'choke artist'

ESPN staff
October 4, 2011
Kenny Florian will fight for the featherweight title © UFC
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Featherweight Kenny Florian is confident he will prove he is not a 'choke artist' when he takes on Jose Aldo at UFC 136.

Florian was given the unwelcome tag by UFC president Dana White in August, after he said "Kenny is just one of those guys who chokes in big fights" following a loss to Gray Maynard that cost him a third shot at the lightweight title.

Florian also lost both those title shots, against Sean Sterk and BJ Penn, but believes memories of those failures will only help him to find his best when he comes up against Aldo - this time for the featherweight crown - in Texas.

"In an odd way, it's those mistakes that I've made in my career both during the fight, in preparation for the fight, that has given me a different kind of calmness, a different kind of confidence that I didn't have before," Florian told MMAWeekly.

"In many ways it makes me feel like I've got nothing to lose. A lot of people writing me off, saying I'm a choke artist, this and that, this is my third opportunity, I feel I have nothing to lose.

"It feels like it's my time. You never know with fighting how things are going to turn out. I try not to worry about that, I worry about the things that I can control. That's my training and getting better, and preparing properly."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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