UFC Light Heavyweight bout: Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
Odds: (+140 Griffin /-170 Franklin )
Betting Pick: GRIFFIN
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In the semi-main event, two of the UFC’s most popular and likable stars will go at it as former Middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin squares off with former Light Heavyweight champion and Ultimate Fighter winner Forrest Griffin. Both of these guys have exciting, versatile skill sets and seem fairly evenly matched, so this should be an entertaining and competitive fight.
Rich Franklin once held the Middleweight division in a lock, until the arrival of current champion Anderson Silva. Since his two crushing losses to Silva, Franklin has bounced back and forth between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight and having success at both weights. He will probably never be a champion again, but he is tough and well-rounded and can hang with the best in the world. His best tool is his boxing, which is crisp, accurate, technical, and powerful. He also has solid wrestling and good submission defense, which makes him a tough nut to crack.
Forrest Griffin, who parlayed a win on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter into a run all the way to the Light Heavyweight title, is one of the most well-liked fighters in the UFC. He is not one of the best in the world at anything, but his well-rounded skills, great chin, aggressive style, and ability to fight anyone in the world and make it competitive have made him one of the UFC’s biggest stars. Griffin can hold his own in any range of fighting. His biggest problem has always been that he is a slow starter and tends to get reckless early in fights.
I think that this is a good fight for Griffin. All he has to worry about from Franklin is his standup, whereas Griffin is the superior wrestler and grappler. Griffin has a great chin and, while Franklin is a powerful striker, he isn’t devastating with his power punches. I think both guys will land solid shots on the ground, but Griffin’s ability to control the clinch and maybe secure takedowns should be enough to earn him the decision victory.
Prediction: Forrest Griffin via Unanimous Decision.
- Bet on the UnderDog Griffin @ +140 for the Win.
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