UFC 206's Tim Kennedy: Without fighters association, MMA won't exist in 10 years

TORONTO – Tim Kennedy is trying his best to focus on this weekend’s UFC 206 event and not the other big fight dominating his life.

On Saturday’s pay-per-view main card, Kennedy (18-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC) takes on fellow middleweight Kelvin Gastelum (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. It’s the 37-year-old’s first bout in more than two years, and h

Kennedy, though, has been busy with other battles, including the fallout from the launch of the MMA Athletes Association. Kennedy is one of a handful of MMA notables involved in the launch and has taken a high-profile leadership role.

“For me, I’m a black and white guy,” he today told MMAjunkie. “I know right and wrong, just and unjust. And when I know I’m in the right and know I’m doing the just thing, I believe it. I commit to that. So this is my mission after Saturday night.”

Kennedy said many fighters have contacted him since this past week’s announcement. That won’t exactly win him any favors with UFC officials, but the special forces sniper and Army Ranger said the organization has been very professional in dealing with the whole situation.

“They have been remarkably fantastic in everything,” he said. “At (UFC 205) – this was before the (MMAAA) announcement – they paid to bring a bodyguard out for me. They’ve been so fantastic, remarkable.

“Here (at UFC 206), nothing but professionalism across the board. I think maybe there could be this perception that I want to hurt the UFC, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.”

Kennedy, a 16-year-old vet who said he’s been a martial artist for 30 years, said the MMAAA and the UFC ultimately have the same goal, even if it’s hard to see right now. The world’s top MMA promotion and its fighters need a healthy sport, and without changes, he doesn’t see it happening.

“I just know this sport isn’t going to exist in 10 years if we go down this course – if we keep this course,” he said. “It’s unsustainable.”

Check out the full conversation above.

For more on UFC 206, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.