Kenny Florian has officially been tapped the color commentator for the UFC's second broadcast team.
MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) today confirmed the new position with UFC officials.
Florian, a current UFC fighter and three-time title challenger, debuts with play-by-plan man and fellow recent hire Jon Anik at Friday's UFC on FX 1 event.
Anik and Florian will handle all broadcast duties not taken by the primary team of Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. Most of the "B team's" events will air on FX, such as Friday's show at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, and FUEL TV. Both are FOX-owned channels that have taken over the smaller UFC events that previously aired on Spike TV and Versus.
Florian, 35, is no stranger to the broadcast booth. The fighter, who previously hosted "MMA Live" on ESPN (with Anik) and now anchors "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV (with Todd Harris), previously has filled in for Rogan. For example, when "Fear Factor" taping prevented Rogan from attending this past August's UFC 134 event, Florian filled in as the night's color commentator.
"It's really a vision I had since we started working on 'MMA Live' together – that'd we'd be calling UFC fights together," Anik said. "I just really think he's such a natural at it, and he's got a gift of simplifying things. ... He's going to make my life much easier.
