A New Lease on Life for Jeremy Kennedy

REDEMPTION! @JeremyKennedyWC evens the score with Laurentino and advances to the Featherweight Semifinals later tonight on ESPN+. #PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/GbVqhfZpHo

— #PFLmma (@ProFightLeague) October 18, 2019

Jeremy Kennedy believes his time has come, and he does not want to let his most recent results determine his fate. He finds himself on a two-fight skid that includes his failed bid to capture the Bellator MMA featherweight crown against Patricio Freire a little more than a year ago. The Professional Fighters League provided Kennedy with a path to renewed focus when he was entered into the featherweight bracket for the 2025 PFL World Tournament, which begins in April.

Motivation should not be hard to find, with an opportunity to win $500,000 and a PFL season championship ahead of him. The PFL elected to ditch its points format for the first time in favor of a grand prix-style competition. Kennedy joins seven others in the featherweight tournament: Jesus Pinedo, Gabriel Braga, Adam Borics, Movlid Khaybulaev, Yves Landu, Nathan Kelly and Tae Kyun Kim.

“I feel like it’s coming at a great time,” he told Sherdog.com. “It’s just what I’ve been waiting for—some momentum and activity. I didn’t like the long layoff in between fights. It’s really hard to build momentum that way. I fought in November. That’s only four months in between fights, and we’re right rolling into the tournament. It’s exactly what I want. There’s no more learning in the cage. I can’t afford to now. It’s win or go home. I just feel like I’m coming into my own. I’ve learned my lessons the hard way, and now, here we are.”

The tournament format theoretically removes politics and built-in narratives from the equation, serving as a platform for the best fighters in each division to prove their worth. Kennedy sees it as his time to stake his claim as the top featherweight in the world.

“That’s all that matters. You don’t move on without being the best in your bracket, in your matchup, everything,” he said. “The stakes are high. It’s just a matter of winning. Now is the time to invest everything into it, and I’m beyond excited.”

The aforementioned Freire was not included in the featherweight draw. He was granted his release by the PFL in January. Freire’s exit opens the door for several other veterans, Kennedy included, to alter the trajectory of their respective careers.

“I feel like if you look at it, we are the new wave of veterans,” Kennedy said. “I’m 32. Braga is in it. Borics has been around forever. Pinedo has won the tournament. Movlid has won the tournament. These are all guys that have done well. We’re all in our physical prime. This is going to produce the best featherweight. No matter how the bracket is laid out or the matchups are made, it’s not an easy route for anybody. That’s what I love about this. This grand prix will cement my whole career, my path. It comes down to this.”

Having spent extended time in Bellator, the PFL and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Kennedy understands that he controls his own fate and that the results inside the SmartCage speak for themselves. He owns a 19-5 record with one no contest, his resume highlighted by nine finishes.

“It just shows what brought me here,” Kennedy said. “You can’t control the things you can’t control. I’ve had a lot of weird circumstances and things play out the way they do. I know how good I am. I can pinpoint certain reasons why wins or losses happen. I know what I’m capable of. It’s just a matter of performing and showing. A lot of that is learning, and I’ve learned all my lessons.”