Kenny Florian was never one to back down from a challenge during his competitive days with the UFC. Florian stepped inside the Octagon to face some of the elite fighters in the world.

On UFC Tonight recently, Florian was asked if he felt the UFC was trying to send a message to its roster by giving Chael Sonnen a fight with Jon Jones - and a spot on The Ultimate Fighter - because he agreed to step in on short notice and meet "Bones."

"I do," answered Florian. "They're saying, 'Guys, you've got to step up and fight.' Chael did it at short notice in a different weight class. And look at what's happened to Lyoto Machida now. He's been pushed to the back of the line and now he's got to wait."

Florian said that he didn't feel as if Sonnen deserved a shot at the title, but "it's about what he's done to get that fight." He added that he believes most people will tune in, both for TUF and the bout in April.

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