| Tim Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 1, 1979 San Luis Obispo, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Division | Middleweight |
| Style | Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Combatives |
| Fighting out of | Austin, Texas |
| Team | Jackson's Submission Fighting |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 17 |
| Wins | 14 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 7 |
| By decision | 2 |
| Losses | 3 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By decision | 2 |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Timothy Fred Kennedy (born September 1, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights for the MMA promotion Strikeforce. He is one of the only fighters to simultaneously serve full time in the United States Army while fighting professionally.
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Kennedy grew up the second son of three children in a Christian family in San Luis Obispo, California. As a youth, Kennedy’s mother placed him in cooking and piano lessons. To offset her influence on him, Kennedy’s father enrolled Tim and his brother in shooting schools, boxing lessons, wrestling teams, and Japanese jujitsu classes.[1] Kennedy attended Eagle Academy private high school, graduating in 1998. He then attended Columbia College of Missouri earning a BA in Criminal Justice in 2002. Kennedy began competing in sanctioned mixed martial arts fights while still in college, but after graduation he joined the United States Army, enlisting in the elite Special Forces in 2004. However, he continued to compete in MMA while serving as a Green Beret. When the Army instituted a service-wide Combatives (hand-to-hand fighting) tournament in 2005, Kennedy entered and won the tournament in the light heavyweight division. He achieved this goal three years in a row.
Tim Kennedy enlisted in the United States Army on January 4, 2004 and attended Basic Combat Training, Advanced Individual Training, Basic Airborne Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course. Tim was featured in Dick Couch's book about Green Beret selection called "Chosen Soldier" under the moniker "Tom Kendall". He was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group,[2] where he served on Operational Detachment Alpha’s. During this time he was also a sniper, sniper instructor, the principal combatives instructor for C Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group. Kennedy deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom multiple times.[3] Among Kennedy’s multiple awards is the Army’s Bronze Star medal, which was awarded for valor under fire.[4]
Kennedy began training at Dokan School of Martial Arts in Atascadero, California under Terry Kelly, and Barry Smith. He began his MMA training in 1994, training with Chuck Liddell, Jake Shields, Gan McGee, and John Hackleman at The Pit in San Luis Obispo.[5]
Kennedy first started fighting in 1996 and had 31 amateur fights, amassing a record of 30-1 before his first professional fight in 2001. In 2003 he entered and won a one-night tournament at Extreme Challenge 50, winning all his three fights. In 2004 he joined the Army. Kennedy only fought once in 2006. He then fought for the now defunct International Fight League in 2007, but did not fight in 2008 due to Army deployments overseas. During this time he wrote a three part series of "Letters from a Foreign Land" that chronicled his time in combat.[6][7][8]
Kennedy returned to mixed martial arts in 2009 with a win over Nick Thompson at Strikeforce Challengers: Villasenor vs. Cyborg in Kent, Washington. He followed this up with an impressive win over Zak Cummings in the main event of ShoMMA 3.
Kennedy fought Trevor Prangley on June 16, 2010 at Strikeforce: Los Angeles.[9] He won the fight via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in the first round.
Since his move to Austin, Texas, Tim has been training at Competitive Training Center and with BJJ black belt Phil Cardella at the Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Austin Association.[10]
Kennedy lost a 5-round decision to Ronaldo Souza for the vacant Strikeforce Middleweight Championship at Strikeforce: Houston on August 21, 2010.
Kennedy was expected to face Jason Miller again on March 5, 2011 at Strikeforce 32. However, Miller was forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Melvin Manhoef. He won via submission in the first round.
Kennedy returned in July 2011 to face Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
It has been announced that Kennedy is now UFC bound and will leave Strikeforce.[11]
Kennedy has a daughter named Julia with entrepreneur Joanna Perney Anderson. He also fathered Sabrina with female mixed martial artist Casey Noland.[12]
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 17 matches | 14 wins | 3 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 1 |
| By submission | 7 | 0 |
| By decision | 2 | 2 |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 14–3 | Robbie Lawler | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson | July 30, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 13–3 | Melvin Manhoef | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson | March 5, 2011 | 1 | 3:41 | Columbus, Ohio, United States | |
| Loss | 12–3 | Ronaldo Souza | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce: Houston | August 21, 2010 | 5 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | For the vacant Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 12–2 | Trevor Prangley | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Strikeforce: Los Angeles | June 16, 2010 | 1 | 3:35 | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| Win | 11–2 | Zak Cummings | Submission (north-south choke) | Strikeforce Challengers: Kennedy vs. Cummings | September 25, 2009 | 2 | 2:43 | Bixby, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 10–2 | Nick Thompson | Submission (punches) | Strikeforce Challengers: Villasenor vs. Cyborg | June 19, 2009 | 2 | 2:37 | Kent, Washington, United States | Strikeforce Debut. |
| Win | 9–2 | Elias Rivera | KO (punches) | IFL World Grand Prix Finals | December 29, 2007 | 1 | 2:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Loss | 8–2 | Jason Miller | Decision (unanimous) | HDNet Fights: Reckless Abandon | December 15, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Dallas, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Ryan McGivern | Submission (guillotine choke) | IFL Chicago | June 19, 2007 | 2 | 1:25 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 7–1 | Dante Rivera | Submission (punches) | IFL Atlanta | February 23, 2007 | 2 | 2:29 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | |
| Win | 6–1 | Hector Urbina | KO (punches) | Fight Fest 7 | September 23, 2006 | 1 | 1:28 | Cleveland, Ohio, United States | |
| Win | 5–1 | Cruz Chacon | TKO (punches) | Extreme Challenge 50 | February 23, 2003 | 2 | 1:21 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Win | 4–1 | Jason Miller | Decision (unanimous) | Extreme Challenge 50 | February 23, 2003 | 3 | 5:00 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Win | 3–1 | Ryan Narte | TKO (punches) | Extreme Challenge 50 | February 23, 2003 | 1 | 1:22 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Win | 2–1 | Mack Brewer | TKO (punches) | WEC 5 | October 18, 2002 | 1 | 1:03 | Lemoore, California, United States | WEC Debut. |
| Win | 1–1 | Jody Burke | Submission (forearm choke) | IFC Warriors Challenge 16 | November 9, 2001 | 1 | 0:44 | Oroville, California, United States | |
| Loss | 0–1 | Scott Smith | TKO (cut) | IFC Warriors Challenge 15 | August 31, 2001 | 1 | 2:53 | Oroville, California, United States |