Dec 23 Tim Kelly Remembered

It was over two weeks ago that Tim Kelly was found dead in front of his home. Everyone who ever got to know Tim felt a huge loss in their life on that day.  I never got to know Tim on personal level but anytime I have ever seen him, he was always nice to me and had a smile on his face, the biggest of which was after he got his arm raised in victory for the first time.  In honor of Tim Kelly, I talked some his training partners, trainers and other people in the maritime MMA community to give their best thoughts.  We ,at The Franchise, of course send our sympathies to Kelly family through this tough time.  You will be missed Tim Kelly.

Peter Martell (One of Kelly's trainers)-I remember we went to a fight in New Glasgow.  The show started at 7 and they said it would be over by 10.  I had to work that night and be back by 11:30 to be able to go to work. Tim drove us up in a Cadillac I believe.  We had a  great time, we watched the fights.  The fights went on and on and on they ended up getting over at like 12:30.  So we get out and I told Tim, "do you mind if I drive, I am going to be late for work." He said, "yeah buddy, no problem."  He lets me drive this Cadillac and I am  cruising pretty good.  Everyone is the car is a little concerned with the way I am speeding. Tim is sitting beside me, kind of like my co pilot saying, "Relax guys, he's got it, no problems.. ". I am probably hitting speeds at a fair exception over the speed limit.   Tim is giving me advice sayingm "OK Peter don't touch the breaks, if you touch the breaks you will lose this turn but just give it the gas."  I look over and he is smiling, not one  concern in the world that I am doing crazy speed in his Cadillac.  That is the kind of guy he was.  Most guys would have been, hey man your going to crush my car and he was concern ed that I had to get to work.  He was there to encourage and support me.  He was always there for everyone else.  He is a great guy.   

Steven Williams (Elite 1 MMA owner)-Tim was a Elite 1 fighter. He was to fight Jon Mcgrath in 2010. I have lots of respect for Tim. He was always polite and showed lots of respect for this sport. He was someone to look up to. This is a big loss to MMA in the maritimes. R.I P Tim we will always remember you. January 8th we will be hosting our next MMA show in Moncton. This whole show will be dedicated to Tim Kelly.

Jason Rorison(Training partner)-Training in a smaller town, we always have a family feel with our training partners, but that is not always the case in city atmospheres. Since the day I started training at the Halifax club we felt welcomed, but one guy was "the super nice guy". Tim Kelly was the first voice we heard walking in the door welcoming us in and asking, “How was the trip up?” He always made a point of asking how we were doing, how the family was doing. We had a rough time last summer when my wife's father took sick; we were in the city quite a bit and the boys all new the situation. Tim never forgot that and always asked how he was doing and always wished him good health. This is something my wife has never forgotten. This is just how Tim was - a big man with an even bigger heart. He cared about his club, his teammates and people he met along the way. Tim would do anything for anybody and the time I had talking to Tim outside of the club training will never be forgotten. We talked about winning and losing and how neither one of us were kids in this sport. Tim always asked how to improve and "how did I do"? Tim wouldn't let loses get him down and he didn't let wins swell his head.

Training with Tim was part of this sport I love. Meeting new people and being able to work with someone like Tim was a great experience - one I wouldn't trade for anything. He pushed you to be the best and to never give up. Tim hit hard and pushed you to hit him back just as hard. Walking into a new club there is always some passiveness when it comes to striking. There is a settling in period till you reach that mutual comfort level. Not with Tim - he wanted you punching down the middle and hard from day one stepping on the mats. "Come on Jay hit me, come on!" He could be a bit intimidating staring you down and stalking as he came to spar with you. There are some days gearing up for a fight that you just want to quit and go home. Tim wouldn't let you; he kept pushing and picking you up. The club is not the same without him.. The loud, booming voice when you walked in the door saying, "HEY" will be missed. Tim always wished us safe travels when we left. I consider the guys and girls I train with family and I have lost a brother. Tim Kelly will be remembered often and always missed. He will always be with us on the mats, in the club and in our hearts.

T.J Grant (UFC fighter)-I didn't really get to know Tim but from what I gathered and I what I saw, I meet Tim a few times and he was always really nice to me.  He was a dude that just really like to fight.  He would put it on the line win or lose, he just wanted to fight, he liked getting punched and he liked punching people.  It looked like he liked the blood but he seemed to be a genuine person.  I remember in September at one of the ECC shows, he donated his winnings to a charity or something along those lines.  That just shows what kind of person he was.  that is a big lose for everyone that knew him.

Adam MacDonald (Training partner)-I remember the first time we went to fight in Edmonton.  It was only my 2nd fight and I believe it was his 2nd fight.  We both lost in the same way, pretty fast in the first round.  We got to sit back, enjoy being up there and watching the rest of the fights.  We shared a hotel room together.  It was pretty comical with his stories and Tim loved to talk.  He was a great guy, he really was.  It was always good moments with Tim.  He was great to have him around and were gonna miss him.

Roger Hollett (Training partner)--His presence in here was always good.  he was a very positive person, very energetic, always cracking jokes. He would always number off every holiday,  If we were close to a holiday he would say were 6 or 5 days away or before he fights he would be like 2 weeks left.

Andy Conterill (Former writer for sherdog.com)-One of my favorite stories I tell about him is every Saturday after an MFC event, I always knew I would be getting a call around 7.  It was always Tim Kelly asking how Roger Hollett did the night before.  Usually I would be up late the Friday night following the fight either for play by play or trying to get results from the Internet.  I wouldn't get to bed till 2-3 in the morning. Even thou I knew I was going to bed, I knew I would be waking up in 2-3 hours.

He always put me in a good mood even if I was cranky.  I always like to sleep into noon on Saturday.  Getting the phone call at 7 was never pleasant but he always found a way to make me smile or laugh.  He was a character.  I am going to miss him for sure.

Dave Jeremy(Training partner)-Tim Kelly was the heart of Titans.  In every group there is always that one guy hooting and hollering and he was our inspiration for a lot of us.  It will never be the same training down here.  It was really hard on us all.

Every memory of Tim is a funny memory.  He was always showman.  I remember he always loved the crowd.  One fight he had fought with a bag of M&M's in his shorts.  At the end of the fight he took it out.  Tim loves junk food, he was always big on his sweet tooth.  It bothered him a lot when he had to train for a fight and not being able to eat his sweets.

Ricky Goodall (Training partner)-I remember his enthusiasm at the club.  No matter how down we got on ourselves, he was enthusiastic, he was funny and always a good guy to have around.  We were all at a fight and we all got breakfast.  There is a big free sample plate of fudge and Tim took all the fudge and gave it to everyone.  He got a pair of shorts in the summertime full of fudge.  Tim Kelly is 44 years old and giving everyone fudge.  There are always stories like, there was always fun times with him.

Kyle Sandford (Training partner)-- Tim was always the guy at the gym you don't forget the day after if he was there because he always in your face.  He was always eager to learn and he would always call you by your full name for some reason.   I only really knew him outside the gym much.  He was a upbeat guy.  He was always asking about personal stuff.  How is your house, how is use your wife.  He remembers little things about your personal life, I feel bad because I don't remember stuff like that with people all the time.  He will be missed, it won't be the same without him.  I don't know if it's really hit us yet.  It's hit me anyways because he is not here (at the gym) yet.

Rob Walker (Kelly's manager/trainer)-There was never a dull moment with Tim Kelly.  He was that guy who would come in everyday at  4 smiling.  Even his last fight and Roger Hollett put on his website that Tim finished the round and he screams you want some of this.  I remember walking in the cage trying to keep a straight face.  After the first round, I couldn't do it.  He was just hilarious.

His famous line was there is a light the end of the tunnel.  He would say that and we be like where did this come from.  He was never a dull moment.

He would call me twice a day and I had a thing going with him that if I didn't hear from him I would go to his house.  I remember he disappeared from his house for a week.  I think he got down about a lost after a fight.  He would never tell us what it was but I figured that is what it was.  I left a note on his car saying if you don't answer the phone it was your last warning.  Tim owned a car dealership so he would take his dealership plates out.  I go back the next day and duct taped a bag of M&M's to his license plate and leave it there.  After a week he gets a hold of me and starts laughing.  He loved M&M's.

Another story was he pulled M&M's out oh his shorts. I didn't know what happened.  I was in the dressing room.  He goes for interview.  the commission comes back screaming there yelling.  I say shut up, what's going on.  They say, Tim Kelly/M&M's.  So I was like so what he M&M's in his hand.  There like no he pulled them out of his pants right after and he waved them.  The commission was like he wore it the whole fight you didn't  know.  I was like oh my god, I knew he was talking about it, I didn't think he would.  All I could say was I hope the guy doesn't have a peanut butter allergy.

He will be missed.  He was a friend, a son, a good father and an amazing person.  He touched everyone's lives.  We will definitely never forget him.  He was an inspiration to a lot of people. If most people have that drive and intensity and that spirit, they would be a better person today and a better athletic

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