5 Reasons Why Kenny Florian Is an Incredible Ambassador for MMA

When you talk about expanding a product on a global scale, you need certain people that can speak to the masses.

In the UFC, many different fighters have those qualities that give them the power to educate fans and fighters on the sport and allow it to become the global juggernaut it is today.

One of those fighters is Kenny Florian.

Florian knows the fight game, plain and simple.  That, as well as many other reasons allow him to be an ambassador for MMA.

Here is that, and a few other reasons that make Florian such an asset to have in the MMA world.

Intelligent

Like the previous slide stated, Florian knows the fight game.  He can pinpoint flaws in fights and he knows how to teach his students at Florian Martial Arts Center in Brookline, Massachusetts.

The center teaches a host of different MMA skills, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling and muay thai along with his brother Keith.

Being an ambassador means educating the young, the old and everyone else who is willing to learn the fight game and not to sound like an advertisement but Florian's camp seems to be like it.

View the center's website here.

An Elite Fighter

To be an ambassador for something, you have to at least be good at what you are talking about and Florian is just that.

He has been involved in multiple title bouts, has been successful with a 14-6 record and stays true to his word when he wants to finish someone.  He has only two decision wins and the rest of the time, he is finishing his opponents.

Florian is at the top of his game and even though he lost a battle with Jose Aldo at UFC 136, he is still one of the best featherweights in the world (or whatever division he chooses to fight in).

A Veteran

Florian has been fighting professionally for close to a decade and has been involved with the UFC since he was on Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter.

He made the finals of a show that helped spark MMA's popularity and stayed with it as the sport grew to new heights.

He might not be at the level of a Matt Hughes or a Chuck Liddell when it comes to being a UFC veteran but when it comes down to it, he stuck it out and has fought in 17 UFC fights.

He has had his ups and downs in the sport and you need both in order to spread the word and in itself, you need both to understand what it takes to be a better fighter. That is the main message here and when it comes from someone who has been around as long as Florian, that message will ring loud and clear.

Media Darling

Florian is not only a fighter, teacher and ambassador to the sport; he is also a part-time member of the media.

He fills in for Joe Rogan on fight cards, has written articles and contributes to MMA outlets like ESPN.

He is currently a co-host on MMA Live, a show that can be seen on ESPN2.  His work ethic is amazing and the fact that he offers as much knowledge as he does on these media outlets makes him a media darling, something crucial when you are an ambassador for something.

Utilizing the media is common knowledge because it is the media that gets the word out for you and Florian contributes to that as a fighter and as an analyst.  This ties into the first slide about his intelligence and when you use as many resources as possible for the good of the sport, you are an ambassador.

Multi-Ethnic Background

When trying to speak to a vast amount of people, it helps that you understand the people.  Florian is a man of the people.  He speaks as a Peruvian American, which takes up the majority of North America.

He also has Armenian, French, German, Italian and Spanish backgrounds.  That alone won't get you places, but when you establish yourself as an elite fighter, pass the knowledge on and speak for an overwhelming majority of the world, you are an ambassador.

It's all these reasons and more that make Kenny Florian the man that he is today and for that, he is an ambassador for the sport and will continue to be for a long time, even through retirement.

What do you think?

Mark Pare is a Featured Columnist. You can follow him on Twitter and don't forget to check out his sportswriter page.