UFC's Kenny Florian Drops from Lightweight to Featherweight Division

With talk of the UFC's Rashad Evans weight class change, lightweight Kenny Florian has decided to drop one to the featherweight division.

Florian was in a long line for a shot at the lightweight title, and this move opens him up to a whole different class.

The former Ultimate Fighter runner-up spent time mulling around the decision to cut his weight class.

"I started playing around with the idea: Could I make 145? Originally, I didn't think it was possible. I spoke with a few nutritionists, got their opinions, told them what my body fat was, my walking-around weight, all that stuff and the general consensus was that it was very possible," Florian said in an interview with ESPN.

However, his jump to featherweight could be temporary after he claims the featherweight belt.

"(The UFC) is very supportive. They're very excited about the move. I've spoken to Dana White, (matchmakers) Joe Silva and Sean Shelby—they're all excited. And I'm excited. I'm very motivated [....] For me it's first things first. My goal is to get the 145-pound belt, and then go up to 155 and challenge for that belt as well," Florian continued.

With his move to featherweight, Florian and his manager, Malki Kawa, want a top featherweight contender for Florian's debut at 145 pounds.

"A fight with [Jose] Aldo has been sticking in the back of my head since the UFC asked us for it. If there is a way to make it happen, I want to. If it looks like the only way that fight can happen is if Kenny moves down to 145, that's what we're going to do," Kawa said.

"He's not going to get a title shot at 145 directly. We're asking for a top guy, and then maybe after one or two more fights, he can get a title shot. He should be ready to make his 145-pound debut in June or July," Kawa finished.

It's actually not a bad move for Florian to make the jump to featherweight. If he can make the weight cut, he could be a pretty good contender for the title.

He's a pretty decent-sized lightweight, but with an inability to perform in the really big matches (i.e. against B.J. Penn at UFC 101 or against Sean Sherk at UFC 64).

His cut to featherweight shouldn't be too difficult (he's already cut once from middleweight and welterweight), and soon he could have a shot at featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

But is Florian good enough to hang with a fighter of Aldo's caliber?

Guess we'll have to wait and see.