Tag: Forrest Griffin

After arriving in Brazil earlier this week to compete at UFC 134, Forrest Griffin is prepared to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, whether he likes it or not. 

Recently, Griffin has quite open about his feelings towards his fighting career and has shown a lack of interest as of late. After all, he has accomplished things that most people could only dream of, plus he has always been seen as the underdog throughout his career, so could you really blame him?

Seemingly coming at a crossroads in his career, Griffin gets an opportunity to face Rua in a rematch and prove his first win wasn’t lucky. Instead of staying motivated while being optimistic with positive thoughts, Griffin doesn’t see it that way.

Griffn’s motivation going into his bout: its a job.  

“My wife’s parents gotta retire. My little brother wants to go to college. I’ve got a daughter coming; she’s probably going to want to go to college, and she’s probably not going to be a genius, either,” Griffin told MMAJunkie.com.

“So, gotta make some money.”

Griffin’s dry wit and self-deprecating humor is what makes him beloved by many fans, and he has done nothing short of that while promoting his bout with Rua. In fact, he tends to skim past the serious questions and appear rather half-hearted or disinterested at the thought of answering. 

But even though he only looks like he isn’t interested, it doesn’t mean he isn’t aware of what Rua can bring to their rematch in Rio de Janeiro. He understands the implications surrounding the bout and he knows his opponent will come prepared and seek revenge.

“I’ve had that fear in my head for the last nine weeks,” he said.

“I knew he was going to come out hungry and ready. I’m kind of expecting him to close the distance and come at it and get going.”

While the anticipation for UFC 134 grows, don’t expect Griffin to promote the fight with the glamour with all that it should be.

An honest, blue-collar attitude has taken Griffin to the top of the division before and on Saturday night, he’ll put on a fight. And regardless of the outcome, Griffin will accept his fate and bring along the pain or pleasure that follows him. After all, he has achieved every goal in his career, so what more could you ask of him? 

UFC 134 is live this weekend from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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This Saturday, the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janerio will host UFC 134. This is a stacked card and promises to be one of the best in recent history. This is the first time that the Dana White-run UFC will make an appearance in Brazil. It is also features future UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva in the main event against Yushin Okami.

The main event will be a great fight; I’m looking forward to the co-main event even more, though.

They say that styles make fights. On that basis, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Forrest Griffin will be a super entertaining contest. It is a rematch, too.

When Shogun was new to the UFC, Forrest Griffin submitted him with a rear-naked-choke. Shogun will look to avenge his loss, and Forrest will try to prove the first time wasn’t an accident. I don’t think that this fight will end on the ground, though—this fight will be different.

Both fighters love stand-up fighting, and both desire to knock their opponents out. Fans couldn’t dream of a better matchup.

Shogun is coming off of a title fight loss where he lost his championship to Jon “Bones” Jones. He was TKO’d in the third round of a very exciting contest. One thing is for sure, he will be hungry.

Shogun is always vicious, and tries to beat his opponents up bad. This will be a big fight for him as he looks to bounce back into the win column.

Forrest Griffin has strung together two victories against Rich Franklin and Tito Ortiz. Now is the chance for him to catapult himself back up to the top of the ladder.

Anybody that has seen Forrest fight knows that he lives to put on a big fight for the fans. He will be looking to slug it out with Shogun all night long.

This contest has fight of the night written all over it.

It also has huge implications for both fighters.

Shogun just lost his title. If he loses two in a row, he will start being talked about as old news. Everybody knows that when fighters start getting knocked out, the end is near.

Not many guys can come back from consecutive losses. If he loses this fight, he will have to win at least three or four in a row to get back to a title shot.

I think it’s now or never for Shogun. If he wants to be considered among the elite in the division for much longer, winning is his only option.

Forrest Griffin is on a roll. He has two in the win column and will be looking to make it three.

Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin are good, but not considered the best at 205. Shogun Rua is.

The UFC is testing Forrest with this fight, and trying to see if he is back among the best in the division. He could be on track for a title shot if he can win this fight.

If he loses, he will prove to the UFC that he won’t be back at that level ever again.

The time for both fighters is now. A loss for either is detrimental to their respective careers.

We will find out Saturday who is headed back to stardom, and who has to mount a comeback run before it’s too late.

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