Tim Kennedy
Active 2014–present · rated in 2 editions · peak overall 80.0
Scouting report
Born in San Luis Obispo, California, and balancing MMA with active service as a U.S. Army Green Beret sniper, Tim Kennedy brought military discipline to the cage. Kennedy earned a decision win over future champion Michael Bisping inside the Octagon and, earlier in Strikeforce, a unanimous-decision win over Robbie Lawler, his top wrestling control highlighted by an 84 Wrestling score and 84 Cardio, earning an 80 Overall rating.
Peak ratings
By edition
Kennedy dominated Michael Bisping over five rounds in Quebec City with takedowns and top control in April 2014, before suffering a third-round TKO defeat to Yoel Romero at UFC 178 in Las Vegas. His Greco-Roman wrestling pressure, top rides, and submission defense are reflected in an 84 Wrestling and 78 Boxing.
Kennedy returned to the Octagon at UFC 206 in Toronto in December 2016, losing to Kelvin Gastelum by third-round TKO before announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts to continue his military service. His wrestling base, physical strength, and clinch work anchor his 82 Wrestling and 80 Durability.
Tim Kennedy, a soldier who fought like one
Tim Kennedy served in the US Army Special Forces and fought professionally at the same time, which is about as unusual a career as the middleweight division has had. He fought in Strikeforce and then moved to the top promotion. He met Yoel Romero in 2014 and lost by third-round TKO. He was a wrestler by training and a grinder by nature. In a draft he is an honest, durable pick who wins by making things unpleasant.
Kennedy, attribute by attribute
Boxing. Decent. He uses it to cover his entries, but he is not a knockout artist.
Kickboxing. The weakest part of his game. He kicks sparingly and tends to keep things close.
Wrestling. One of his best skills. He was a strong wrestler who could work control and hold position.
BJJ. Also a strength. He was a capable grappler with a good top game.
Strength. Strong for the weight. He uses it to press opponents to the cage.
Durability. Very solid. He kept going through difficult fights and took a lot of punishment.
Cardio. Shares the top slot. His conditioning is one of the main reasons he was competitive against better fighters.
Fight IQ. Good. He understood his limits and stuck to them.
Wrestling and cardio share the lead
On the peak card these two numbers are equal, and together they explain his whole approach. He takes a man down, keeps him there, and keeps going long after the opponent has tired. It is a plain formula, but it is hard to solve in a three-round fight.
He cannot out-strike specialists: Kickboxing
Kickboxing is the lowest number. If a skilled striker can defend takedowns, Kennedy has little to offer from range. Put him alongside teammates who can supply the outside game and let him do the dirty work on the inside.
Keep exploring
Closest middleweight profiles to Tim Kennedy, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Jack Hermanssonbest cardio 88 · weakest kickboxing 77
- Yushin Okamibest wrestling 84 · weakest kickboxing 70
- David Branchbest bjj 84 · weakest kickboxing 74
- Derek Brunsonbest wrestling 89 · weakest kickboxing 73
- Middleweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Tim Kennedy's strongest attribute, Wrestling.
Draft Tim Kennedy into your build
Tim Kennedy enters the pool on any spin landing on middleweight between 2014 and 2017. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Tim Kennedy is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Tim Kennedy's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.