Tim Kennedy is known throughout the mixed martial arts community as an enlisted U.S. Army service member who battled his way up the UFC middleweight ladder. Kennedy, often brutally honest and open about his patriotism reenlisted in the Special Forces immediately following the 2016 Presidential election.
Today, in a video captured by MyMMANews.com, Kennedy talked about the connection between those illegally hunt and poach animals in foreign countries and those who commit terrorist acts.
Man on a mission
"I’ve actually been involved in counter-poaching for a long time, both working in Africa and South America," Kennedy said.
Kennedy enlisted in the Army in 2003. While serving his country, he was able to compete in sanctioned MMA bouts earning contracts with several of the top promotions, most recently the UFC. He is one of very few fighters allowed to both serve and compete simultaneously.
Kennedy retired from professional fighting in January of this year. During his now 15-years in the military, Kennedy has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times as well as a handful of other countries where he has seen some of the evil that exists beyond our walls.
Story behind the story
“Whether they are smuggling trophies out, rhino horns out, all of that money is connected. If you are buying a coin online that was in a museum in North Iraq, ISIS took that, and they are selling that to fund their terrorist game.
If you are buying Rhino horn because it makes your (expletive) hard, you are funding terrorists," he said.
Kennedy stated that he is an avid hunter, a conservationist, and lover of the land, but the reason he and the Operators in the Special Forces units situated around the globe are fighting to eradicate poaches is not solely for their love of nature, and its surroundings.
"But it’s not just the animals, cause the money made from poaching goes on to support other (expletives), other (another expletive), other dudes that are part of syndicated crime networks, so I’m not only fighting to protect the animals I love and care about, I’m also fighting terrorism, by fighting poaching," Kennedy said.
Kennedy states that he is currently assigned as a Senior Special Forces Weapons Sergeant with a Special Forces unit that operates in Africa.
He closed the interview by saying, "Special Operations guys, Special Forces guys, Green Berets, Navy SEALS, Rangers, all of them with some of the most violent skills on the planet looking people that are hurting animals, so…. DON’T DO THAT!”
