Kenny Rice Biography

Kenny Rice is a commentator on Thoroughbred horse racing and mixed martial arts. He has been covering these events for four decades, most of which have been with NBC Sports. 

A native of the Bluegrass State, Rice began his broadcast career as a disc jockey at WDOC while still in high school. He graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Kentucky. He later served as sports director for Lexington’s WTVQ-TV for nearly two decades. 

In 1999, he joined NBC Sports’ Thoroughbred racing coverage, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup. Since 2003, Rice has hosted “Inside MMA” and announced international MMA events,

Rice has covered two Summer Olympics for NBC—boxing in 2004 and equestrian events in 2008—and reported on the NFL for “Football Night in America.”

He has earned several accolades, including the 1988 Kentucky Broadcaster of the Year, the 1996 Charles W. Engelhard Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Industry, and a 1996 Eclipse Award for outstanding local TV coverage of Thoroughbred racing.

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