Michael Chiesa Has a Surprise Gameplan Ready for Max Griffin ‘More than just a grappler’

Michael ChiesaMichael Chiesa will be facing Max Griffin at UFC 310 in a vital welterweight matchup. ‘Maverick’ Chiesa is primarily…

Michael Chiesa

Michael Chiesa will be facing Max Griffin at UFC 310 in a vital welterweight matchup. ‘Maverick’ Chiesa is primarily a grappler but is ready to meet ‘Pain’ Griffin on the feet on December 7.

Michael Chiesa Gameplan for Max Griffin

The US-born Michael Chiesa is primarily a grappler who began wrestling when he was only 11 years old. In his professional MMA career, he has won an impressive sixty-five percent of his matches by way of submission. At UFC 310, he will face Max Griffin who is a powerful striker who aims for the knockout. But, Chiesa says that there may be a surprise in store for Griffin when they meet.

Speaking in an interview with James Lynch, Michael Chiesa explained:

“I still feel like I haven’t shown my full game. I have so many guys I train with who are like, “When the hell are you just gonna stand up with these guys?” Everyone sees what I do in the gym, and they ask when I’m going to show the world that I’ve got knockout power in my hands and good striking. But I think, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If Max brings out the other side of me, though, I’m ready to show the world how well-rounded I am—more than just a grappler.”

In his most recent bout on August 3, 2024, Chiesa secured a first-round submission victory over Tony Ferguson. Prior to that, he faced a setback in July 2023, losing to Kevin Holland via submission in the first round. Griffin’s recent performances have been mixed, with his last fight on February 10, 2024, resulting in a split decision victory over Jeremiah Wells. Before that, he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Michael Morales in July 2023.

Their upcoming matchup at UFC 310 promises to be an intriguing clash of styles, pitting Chiesa’s grappling ability against Griffin’s striking abilities, but ‘Maverick’ is ready if it stays on the feet.

Michael Chiesa
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – AUGUST 03: (L-R) Michael Chiesa submits Tony Ferguson in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on August 03, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC Vegas 63 Octagon Interviews: Allen Calls For Interim Title Fight

UFC Vegas 63 wasn’t an especially stacked Fight Night card, and even the event’s back-and-forth bouts didn’t exactly provide a massive amount of action. The card did still feature a few notable individual performances, and MMA News ha…

UFC Vegas 63 wasn’t an especially stacked Fight Night card, and even the event’s back-and-forth bouts didn’t exactly provide a massive amount of action. The card did still feature a few notable individual performances, and MMA News has all of the most important quotes and callouts from the event’s post-fight interviews inside the Octagon. De…

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Tim Means: Saw “Where I Didn’t Wanna Be” While In Prison

Ahead of his co-main event bout at UFC Vegas 63, Tim Means is taking some time to reflect on how differently his life could have turned out. “The Dirty Bird” is a longtime fan favorite, but finding success in MMA wasn’t always a sure thing for him. Mea…

Ahead of his co-main event bout at UFC Vegas 63, Tim Means is taking some time to reflect on how differently his life could have turned out. “The Dirty Bird” is a longtime fan favorite, but finding success in MMA wasn’t always a sure thing for him. Means has been open about the difficulties he…

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Max Griffin Recalls Early Career Advice From Tim Means

Even though they’re getting ready to square off at UFC Vegas 63 tonight, Max Griffin can’t help but laugh about some important advice Tim Means gave him early in his career. The 36-year-old is coming off a difficult result in his last bout agains…

Even though they’re getting ready to square off at UFC Vegas 63 tonight, Max Griffin can’t help but laugh about some important advice Tim Means gave him early in his career. The 36-year-old is coming off a difficult result in his last bout against Neil Magny, where Griffin lost a narrow split decision than many…

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Neil Magny To Return Against Max Griffin At UFC Columbus

UFC welterweight contenders Neil Magny and Max Griffin will square off at the upcoming Fight Night event in Columbus, OH on March 26.

MMA journalist Marcel Dorff was among the first to report news of the booking.

Magny was expected to face fast-…

Neil Magny, Max Griffin

UFC welterweight contenders Neil Magny and Max Griffin will square off at the upcoming Fight Night event in Columbus, OH on March 26.

MMA journalist Marcel Dorff was among the first to report news of the booking.

Magny was expected to face fast-rising welterweight Khamzat Chimaev next, but negotiations never materialized. Now, he’ll face a tough test in the form of Griffin as the UFC slowly returns to hosting fights outside of Las Vegas.

Magny has won four of his last five inside the Octagon, including most recently against Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 26. He’s been a mainstay in the welterweight division and has earned recent wins over the likes of Robbie Lawler and Li Jingliang.

Griffin has managed to resurrect his UFC career with three-straight wins, including arguably the biggest win of his tenure against Carlos Condit at UFC 264. He put a beating on Condit, a former title challenger who announced his retirement shortly after the bout.

The UFC is planning a big card for the promotion’s return to Ohio. The event will be headlined by a light heavyweight bloodbath between former champion Jan Blachowicz and Aleksandar Rakic. A flyweight matchup between Askar Askarov and Kai Kara-France will also be featured, along with the return of fan-favorite Matt Brown against Bryan Barberena.

Magny has a legitimate opportunity to put on an impressive performance against a solid challenger in Griffin. With a win, he could earn a fight against a top-5 welterweight for his next Octagon appearance.

As for the unranked Griffin, he’s looking to make a statement and continue his rise at 170 pounds. A win could put him right in the thick of things in the welterweight division.

What is your prediction for Neil Magny vs. Max Griffin?

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Max Griffin: Carlos Condit Is A Legend, But I’m “The Legend Killer”

It sounds as though Max Griffin has gone and channeled his inner Randy Orton ahead of UFC 264. For those unfamiliar with WWE superstar Randy Orton, one of the nicknames he has become globally known for is that of “The Legend Killer,” due to…

It sounds as though Max Griffin has gone and channeled his inner Randy Orton ahead of UFC 264. For those unfamiliar with WWE superstar Randy Orton, one of the nicknames he has become globally known for is that of “The Legend Killer,” due to his tendency to knock off legends of professional wrestling throughout his […]

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