Retired UFC fighter Tim Kennedy apologized for falsely claiming he received a Bronze Star with Valor, admitting he misrepresented his military service, though some in the military community criticized his apology as insincere.
Retired UFC fighter Tim Kennedy recently apologized for lying about a military accolade he never received. The admission came after a video surfaced on a popular YouTube channel hosted by retired Green Beret Nathan Cornacchia. In a 2017 interview, Kennedy claimed he had been awarded a Bronze Star with Valor.
Kennedy had previously stated he never publicly claimed to have received this specific honor, which is awarded for acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy. Following the video’s release, Kennedy issued a lengthy apology for misrepresenting himself and his military awards.
“I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake,” Kennedy wrote on Instagram. He acknowledged that he had implied he received the Bronze Star with Valor, which he never did. Kennedy expressed deep regret for suggesting otherwise, recognizing the award’s significance.
He admitted to failing to uphold the standards he claimed to represent, especially to the military and veteran community. “I was young when I stepped into the public eye,” he explained, acknowledging he wasn’t prepared for the scrutiny.
Kennedy, who fought in the UFC and other organizations, promised to hold himself to a higher standard moving forward. “This apology is not the end, it’s the beginning,” he wrote, committing to rebuilding trust through honesty and accountability.
Despite his apology, not everyone was convinced. Another ex-Green Beret, Alex Theodosis, criticized Kennedy for the way he worded his apology. Theodosis accused Kennedy of crafting a persona based on lies for fame and money.
He described Kennedy’s apology as insincere, suggesting it was more about being caught than genuine remorse. Theodosis felt the apology barely addressed the lies and failed to meet the expectations of the veteran community.