Former UFC middleweight Tim Kennedy was shot three times during a deadly ambush in the Democratic Republic of Congo last month and is currently receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington, D.C. This is some wild, heavy news, man, just absolutely unbelievable to hear.
Kennedy, a former U.S. Army Green Beret, sustained those three gunshot wounds to his leg during the Sept. 17 attack in South Kivu province. The Reuters report says around 20 people were killed or wounded in that ambush, including at least seven Congolese nationals and a former member of New Zealand’s Special Forces. U.S. Congressman Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin gave a public update on Sunday, confirming he actually spoke with Kennedy after the attack. The Congressman said, “I just spoke to my dear friend @TimKennedyMMA. That means he is not dead and that means I am thankful. I am asking everyone to pray for his healing and that his wonderful family find Peace.” That’s the kind of update you absolutely need to hear when something this serious goes down.
Kennedy, who is 47, was reportedly working with Vectus Global, a private security and consulting company founded by Erik Prince, the former head of Blackwater. Reuters reported the Vectus team was just traveling between locations when the ambush happened. For those who remember his fighting days, Kennedy (18-6 MMA) last stepped into the UFC octagon back in 2016, losing the second of back-to-back bouts against Yoel Romero and Kelvin Gastelum. Before that, he had a solid three-fight UFC win streak, taking down Michael Bisping, Roger Gracie, and Rafael Natal. He also competed twice for the Strikeforce middleweight title, falling short in 2010 and 2012. You might also recall he came under some fire in 2025 after publicly admitting he’d fabricated a part of his U.S. Army history, having previously claimed to have received a Bronze Star Medal with Valor.
Right now, though, all eyes are on his recovery. As Congressman Van Orden said, everyone needs to be sending their prayers for his healing and for his wonderful family to find peace. That’s the real fight right now, man.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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