On Saturday night, in the co-main event of UFC 148, former light heavyweight champions will face off, as Tito Ortiz will battle Forrest Griffin.These two will be fighting for the third time, and they have each previously won a split decision over the o…
On Saturday night, in the co-main event of UFC 148, former light heavyweight champions will face off, as Tito Ortiz will battle Forrest Griffin.
These two will be fighting for the third time, and they have each previously won a split decision over the other. Ortiz won at UFC 59, and Griffin won at UFC 106.
Tito has announced that this will be his last fight, and he is looking to go out with a win. Unfortunately for Tito, Forrest will be the one winning this fight, and the trilogy.
Many people have been saying lately that Forrest Griffin is over the hill, and will be done soon. However, what these people fail to realize is that Griffin is still performing at, or near, a top ten caliber fighter level.
Injuries have forced Griffin to only fight three times in the past three years, but in those three fights, he has gone 2-1.
The victories aren’t exactly over the highest level of competition—anymore at least—as the victories were Rich Franklin and Ortiz. The loss came at the hands, and hammerfists, of Mauricio Rua.
Then, on the other end of the spectrum, is Tito Ortiz.
In his last eight fights, Ortiz is just 1-6-1. He defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 132, drew with Rashad Evans at UFC 73, and lost to Rogerio Nogueira, Evans, Matt Hamill, Griffin, Lyoto Machida and Chuck Liddell.
Ortiz has been fighting some of the best fighters in the game, but losing six out of eight fights isn’t good for anyone.
Griffin is younger, has more time left in his career and won the last fight against Ortiz. He’s going to win the fight tomorrow, and he’s going to win the trilogy.
Tim McTiernan is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. For the latest news on everything MMA, follow him on Twitter @TimMcTiernan.
Anderson Silva (-280) vs. Chael Sonnen (+240) Ryan Poli: I have to go with Silva on this one. He has the striking and jiu-jitsu advantage, plus plenty of time to work on his takedown defense..
Anderson Silva (-280) vs. Chael Sonnen (+240)
Ryan Poli: I have to go with Silva on this one. He has the striking and jiu-jitsu advantage, plus plenty of time to work on his takedown defense. I don’t see Sonnen being able to change his strategy and that will be his downfall. Although the odds were much less generous for all of Silva’s other opponents, I am somewhat surprised that the odds are as high as they are in Silva’s favor just based on the how their first fight played out. Winner: Silva
John Rivera: Anderson Silva wins by KO/TKO in the 2nd Round. “The Spider” will publicly execute Chael Sonnen….we know this because he is the greatest fighter in the history of the sport. Winner: Silva
Emily Kapala: I personally think that Chael Sonnen is being undervalued in the eyes of the oddsmakers. Not only would I pick Sonnen as the winner, but I think he is the highest value bet. While the odds are against him, I think he will be able to pull through with the victory this time around when he faces Silva in the octagon. Winner: Sonnen
Elise Kapala: In almost every fight with Silva, the opposing fighter is the underdog. However, the last matchup with Sonnen and Silva was so intense and draining on Silva, there truly is no underdog here. If I had to choose a winner, I would say Sonnen via knockout in the 3rd or 4th round. Winner: Sonnen
Alan Wells: If I’m picking a winner, I’m going with Silva but if I’m betting the money line, I’m going with Sonnen. I’m not interested in -280 odds and after Sonnen’s performance in the first fight, I’m willing to take a flyer on him. I’m not expecting to win but if I need action on this fight, I’m going with Sonnen. Winner: Silva
MMAFix Staff Pick: Silva (3-2)
Tito Ortiz (+255) vs. Forrest Griffin (-310)
Ryan Poli: I’m going with the favorite to win. Although I wasn’t impressed by either of them in their last fight, Shogun is a more dangerous opponent than Lil’ Nog. Plus I would say with the exception of wrestling, Forrest has every advantage (age, cardio, reach, striking, jiu- jitsu). Winner: Griffin
John Rivera: I think Forrest takes a unanimous decision this time around. As much as I love Tito, I think as a fighter, his best days are behind him. Rashad ravaged him, and Lil’ Nog took the rest…. Winner: Griffin
Alan Wells: I hate this line. I don’t understand why Griffin is such a significant favorite. I like him to win but -310 makes him a waste of money. Once again, if I feel the need to wet my beak for this fight, I’m going with the underdog but I don’t feel great about my chances of getting that money back. Winner: Griffin
MMAFix Staff Pick: Griffin (3-0)
Cung Le (+180) vs. Patrick Cote (-220)
Ryan Poli: Cung Le all the way. His striking is more diverse and Cote has been fighting against much lower level competition for quite some time. He just isn’t at Cung Le’s level. Winner: Le
John Rivera: The headline will read: ‘Cote KO’s ex Strikeforce Champ, Cung Le in the 2nd round due to the former’s punching power and the latter’s lack of cardio.’ Winner: Cote
Alan Wells: I think the oddsmakers are just screwing with me at this point. If MMA was a more popular sport, this line would be a lot closer because the public would be moving it toward Le. But the betting pool for MMA isn’t nearly as big as other sports so the line is right where it should be. I like Cote to win and that’s where my money is going if I have to bet. The odds aren’t great but at least they’re better than the two headliners. Winner: Cote
MMAFix Staff Pick: Cote (2-1)
On Saturday night Anderson Silva will put his UFC middleweight crown on the line for the 10th time. His opponent will be the same man he faced at UFC 117, the same man who was close to defeating him on that night in August 2010—Chael Sonnen. As w…
On Saturday night Anderson Silva will put his UFC middleweight crown on the line for the 10th time. His opponent will be the same man he faced at UFC 117, the same man who was close to defeating him on that night in August 2010—Chael Sonnen.
As we all know, close is never good enough. So, while Sonnen gets points for being Silva’s toughest test in the UFC, he still sits empty handed while Silva wears the UFC crown. Will that change on Saturday night in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena?
The first step toward answering that question will come on Friday evening, when the two main-event fighters along with the 20 other combatants that will fight at UFC 148 hit the scales for the official weigh-ins. Weigh-ins are slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Two former light heavyweight champions are among that group of 20, and they will meet in the evening’s co-main event. That fight will feature Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin and will be the final bout of Ortiz’s career, as he has announced that he will retire upon completion of the contest.
The full UFC 148 fight card is listed below:
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
Patrick Cote vs. Cung Le
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie
Mike Easton vs. Ivan Menjivar
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Gleison Tibau
Fabricio Camoes vs. Melvin Guillard
Riki Fukuda vs. Constantinos Philippou
John Alessio vs. Shane Roller
Yoislandy Izquierdo vs. Rafaello Oliveira
Bleacher Report will provide the UFC 148 weigh-in results below as they happen, so be sure to check back after 7 p.m. ET for full coverage.
Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter caught up with Forrest Griffin just two days before he faces Tito Ortiz in the co-main event of UFC 148 in Las Vegas.On this installment of The Ultimate Show, Griffin discusses the recent rumors surrounding his retiremen…
Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter caught up with Forrest Griffin just two days before he faces Tito Ortiz in the co-main event of UFC 148 in Las Vegas.
On this installment of The Ultimate Show, Griffin discusses the recent rumors surrounding his retirement, his trilogy with Ortiz, his thoughts on Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen and more.
There are many ways to describe Forrest Griffin. Former UFC light heavyweight champion. Three-time best-selling author. Family man. But when you strip away the cynicism and ‘aw shucks’ attitude, you’re left with a man who is incredibly smart and analyt…
There are many ways to describe Forrest Griffin. Former UFC light heavyweight champion. Three-time best-selling author. Family man. But when you strip away the cynicism and ‘aw shucks’ attitude, you’re left with a man who is incredibly smart and analytical.
After months away from the cage, he’s finally back to put an end to his rivalry with Tito Ortiz at UFC 148. At times there have been words. It’s a rivalry that has been built upon a mutual respect as both fighters have been able to pick up a win over one another.
“Obviously, he’s a great fighter. Sometimes I don’t think that people give him enough credit. You have back surgery and you fight who? Lil Nog when he’s at his best. Rashad Evans on three weeks notice when he looks like he couldn’t look better. He’s gonna fight this unknown guy named Machida,” Griffin told Bleacher Report.
While Tito’s career is coming to an end, Griffin isn’t ready to call it quits. He’s also not worried about his legacy at the moment. His reasoning makes a lot of sense when you look at it from his perspective.
“This f***ing genius who writes books, you should read them or you should just buy them. He said when you’re climbing the mountain, if you look down, you’re not moving forward. If you look back you’ve quit you’re forward progress. If you look up, it’s a daunting task. You’re not paying attention. You look right at your foot hold and your hand hold. I’m still in the middle of it. And when you’re in the middle of it and you feel like you’re ‘going through hell’ like Churchill, keep going.”
“It’s not time to look back. There will be a time when I physically cannot do this sport. I think Tito’s there and it’s gonna suck for me because I like doing it.”
Griffin also addressed the issues of fighter injuries. This summer has been one of the worst in UFC history with many top fighters withdrawing from fights due to various injuries. While I believed that it was the fault of the fighter’s insurance, Griffin has a different point of view.
“Here’s the thing man. You have all these guys at a high level and the thing about fighting is that you actually have to fight about twice a week to get good at it. I’ve always wondered why more guys didn’t get hurt. It’s like being a running back in the NFL.” He added, “You’re gonna get banged up. You’re gonna get hurt and now one thing I think we can’t have is like when people were really hard on Quinton.”
“I didn’t see the fight in Japan but he didn’t make weight and he didn’t’ fight well. He fought injured. Everybody has had to do that at some point,” Griffin said. “I don’t think you should punish a guy for losing when they were hurt. If I sit around and wait till I’m 100 percent healthy then I’m outta shape because I’m not training.”
Griffin has seen various ups and downs in his career. And one thing that’s always consistent is that fans will love him when he’s winning and abandon him on a loss. It’s actually a common theme in MMA where fans are the ultimate front-runners and will only ride with a fighter when he’s winning.
“I want people to like me. People just love to throw shit. It’s weird man. I’m a nice guy. I’m trying to be positive. I’ve got my own things, I’m kinda crazy but I’m not trying to hurt anybody. I’m trying to be good and I’m doing the best I can. Just like everybody else. I don’t appreciate and I don’t think it’s funny, the criticism, I hear the same shit.”
Finally, Griffin addressed his infamous fight with Anderson Silva. It’s a performance that he’ll never be able to live down and one that he will likely regret for the rest of his career.
“If I could take the Anderson fight back I’d fake a f***ing injury and never do it. But I never thought like that before. Before I was like ‘f**k it, I’ll do it anyway”, know what I mean? Then people are so harsh on you, they judge you so much. But you can’t let people dictate what you’re gonna do.”
Forrest Griffin meets Tito Ortiz for the third and final time this Saturday at UFC 148.
Forrest Griffin’s attention during fight week is difficult to come by.The former UFC light heavyweight champion is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of the media grind or fans shouting his name in hopes of catching a picture or autograph. But with h…
Forrest Griffin‘s attention during fight week is difficult to come by.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of the media grind or fans shouting his name in hopes of catching a picture or autograph. But with his showdown against Tito Ortiz quickly approaching, the only thing Griffin truly wants to do is fight.
He knows what he needs to do in order to claim victory against Ortiz, because he has done it before. He is also well aware of how the little things can make the difference between a win or loss, because Griffin has stood on that side of the line as well.
Being a veteran of the sport has taught Griffin many lessons. He knows it could all go silent should he fail to complete the task at hand.
That motivates him to push further.
His work ethic is second to none, and Griffin knows the fans are showing up to see him give it all.
If something gets lost in the exchange from catching a photo-op on his downtime to not acknowledging onlookers during open workouts, focus prevents this from bothering him.
It’s not that he doesn’t want your admiration and support, but on this particular fight week, the only thing he cares about right now is Tito Ortiz.
“The unfortunate thing about being a recognizable figure in the sport is that I get the most attention or whatever when I’m in the worst mood,” Griffin told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “I’m actually a nice, approachable person but during fight week, at airports or when I’m with my daughter I’m not.”
“If I met you on the second day of the Boston Fan Expo and I was dismissive to you I really did have food poisoning. That’s how I know I’m famous because I’ve used both exhaustion and food poisoning as excuses for my behavior. Next I’ll use dehydration and hit the trifecta of famous people excuses.
“People are still mean to me about the second day of the Boston Expo. Apparently I was dismissive and short with people when they came to get photos or whatnot. I really do try but during fight week I’m saving my energy man. I’m appreciative of the fans coming out, make no mistake about it, but I look at it as if I lose this fight people are not going to care about me anyways. I feel like if you just win your fights then can kind of do what you want to do.”
Saturday night will mark the third meeting between the two former champions. Both of their previous affairs ended in split-decision with Griffin and Ortiz each claiming a win apiece.
This fight comes under different circumstances, as Ortiz has announced this will be his final showing inside the Octagon. Griffin intends to put a damper on “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’s” send off party and in the process erase any talk that he is on the same path.
“Getting motivated for this fight has been easy,” Griffin said. “The first two fights were close split-decisions. It is a big opportunity to get a win over a good name and a quality opponent. It’s a chance to get back on track to where I want to be. I’m getting the win. Somehow some way I’m going to pull that ‘W’ out.”
“I’ve heard a lot of talk about me retiring. I’m not retiring. I work two times a year for a total of 30 minutes. Every time after I fight I take a month off. I just want to make sure I win a couple fights a year. My whole thing in fighting is to never lose two in a row. Obviously I’ve done that once and don’t recommend it.”
Griffin’s journey through the UFC has been a roller coaster ride filled with successes and setbacks. After winning the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter, he became one of the most recognizable faces in the sport. Few imagined the Georgia native would ascend to the top of the rankings, but Griffin silenced his critics after defeating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to claim the UFC light heavyweight title.
He would relinquish the belt in his next outing, but the achievement was set in stone. The achievement meant no one could deny he had made a mark on the sport, and when you tack two N.Y. Times Best-Selling books onto his resume, it’s clear Griffin has come a long way over the past seven years.
“I’m going to continue fighting and I’m going to continue writing books but accomplishments don’t mean anything because you don’t stop in the middle to look back,” Griffin said. “I have a great a great analogy I meant to put in the book and I’m not sure if it made it in there. When you are climbing a mountain you don’t look up towards the peak which is your ultimate goal and you don’t look down where you’ve already been. You keep your eyes right in front of you on the next hand hold or the next foot hold.”
“You have to think of life that way. Don’t get too far ahead of yourself and don’t revisit the past too much. Stay in the moment. Actually Bruce Lee told me that before he died. It was amazing. He told me that in a dream with David Bowie but it was a weird thing.”
Due to the 4th of July holiday, Forrest Griffin was kind enough to break down a few things American and a little more MMA for our Bleacher Report readers. Here is a list of quick hits.
How the Interview began:
“Why don’t you ask me about my game plan. That is always a great one.”
How Griffin celebrates Independence Day during fight week:
“I live everyday like it’s the 4th of July. Lots of guns and red meat. I’m actually thinking about hiring a Sarah Palin look-alike who pole dances. That sounds pretty patriotic.”
Griffin’s thoughts on Tito Ortiz’s head size:
“Tito’s head is big and that makes it easier to hit but I’ll tell you what—when it is on top of you and pushing into you that thing is no joke. It sucks.”
Who is more American: Ted Nugent or Willie Nelson?
“Man that is a tough one but I’m going go with Ted Nugent because the last time I saw him Ted had some wounded veterans out at his compound shooting machine guns. In my book veterans shooting machine guns is as American as it gets.”
On Saturday night, in the co-main event of UFC 148, former light heavyweight champions will face off, as Tito Ortiz will battle Forrest Griffin.
