Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
The as of yet still retired champion also says that his next fight is more likely to come outside of the cage than inside it. “If we’re at the movies and some guy pours a drink on my wife, it’s going down,” he joked.
So, what do you say, taters? Do you think Forrest can really stay away from fighting or will he be back in the Octagon before his Hall of Fame plaque can even begin to collect dust on his mantle?
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
The as of yet still retired champion also says that his next fight is more likely to come outside of the cage than inside it. “If we’re at the movies and some guy pours a drink on my wife, it’s going down,” he joked.
So, what do you say, taters? Do you think Forrest can really stay away from fighting or will he be back in the Octagon before his Hall of Fame plaque can even begin to collect dust on his mantle?
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
The as of yet still retired champion also says that his next fight is more likely to come outside of the cage than inside it. “If we’re at the movies and some guy pours a drink on my wife, it’s going down,” he joked.
So, what do you say, taters? Do you think Forrest can really stay away from fighting or will he be back in the Octagon before his Hall of Fame plaque can even begin to collect dust on his mantle?
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
Athe UFC 160 post event press conference Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin was retiring from MMA. Now, less than a month later, Griffin has revealed that he’s at least open to the possibility of coming back should his body heal up well from recent injuries.
“I’ll start training again, September, August. Maybe if I’m just magically healed and like everything works great, then I’ll have to try [fighting] again. But, I’m not healthy now,” the TUF 1 winner told MMA Fight Corner.
Griffin last fought in July of 2012, when he beat long-time champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. Griffin won three out of his last four fights but was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with Phil Davis this year due to a torn MCL in his knee.
Griffin will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame July 6th at UFC 162 along with his TUF 1 co-finalist Stephan Bonnar. And, although the fighter sounds eager to get back into training and acknowledges the possibility of his return to competition, he warns not to read too much into his desire to be back in the gym.
“But, to say I’m unusual for that, most professional athletes have that,” Griffin explained.
“Most guys are like ‘Ok when can I start training again?’. I got into this because I like fighting, I like training. It’s fun, you know.”
The as of yet still retired champion also says that his next fight is more likely to come outside of the cage than inside it. “If we’re at the movies and some guy pours a drink on my wife, it’s going down,” he joked.
So, what do you say, taters? Do you think Forrest can really stay away from fighting or will he be back in the Octagon before his Hall of Fame plaque can even begin to collect dust on his mantle?
After UFC 160, Dana White announced that Forrest Griffin has retired. The announcement came as a surprise to the MMA world.
Griffin won the first season of The Ultimate Fighter and went on to become the first truly unified light heavyweight champion of the world when he won the UFC 205 pound belt. His last fight was a win over Tito Ortiz in July of 2012.
White also announced that Griffin and his fellow TUF 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar will both be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame next month. Griffin spoke with MMA Fighting last night after the announcement and spoke about why he made the decision to retire and what he’ll do next.
After UFC 160, Dana White announced that Forrest Griffin has retired. The announcement came as a surprise to the MMA world.
Griffin won the first season of The Ultimate Fighter and went on to become the first truly unified light heavyweight champion of the world when he won the UFC 205 pound belt. His last fight was a win over Tito Ortiz in July of 2012.
White also announced that Griffin and his fellow TUF 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar will both be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame next month. Griffin spoke with MMA Fighting last night after the announcement and spoke about why he made the decision to retire and what he’ll do next.
Let’s get one thing straight: Last night’s co-main event was by no means a legacy-cementing fight. The legacies of both fighters had been cemented well before last night, with both Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz being very influential in the UFC’s push towards the mainstream, being involved in unforgettable fights and holding the light-heavyweight championship. While winning the trilogy would be a nice way to cap off an otherwise lackluster rivalry, it would be nothing more than another “W” in the grand scheme of things. Especially for Tito – while Forrest is arguably worthy of a Hall of Fame induction, Tito already has been inducted.
Which perhaps explained why Tito Ortiz seemed more aggressive throughout the fight: Forrest had little to lose, Tito had nothing to lose. While the aggression of “The People’s Champion” seemed to have Forrest Griffin on the verge of defeat a few times during the fight, in the end it wasn’t enough. For the majority of the fight, Griffin managed to outstrike Ortiz en route to the unanimous decision victory.
Really, there is little more to be said for the actual fight. Two aging veterans entered the cage and performed like aging veterans. Both men looked slow, both men gassed out early, and if it weren’t for the names involved, this fight would have had zero chance of taking home the $75k Fight of the Night honors. If you want to watch the fight again, watch the fight again – if you missed it, you didn’t miss much.
Let’s get one thing straight: Last night’s co-main event was by no means a legacy-cementing fight. The legacies of both fighters had been cemented well before last night, with both Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz being very influential in the UFC’s push towards the mainstream, being involved in unforgettable fights and holding the light-heavyweight championship. While winning the trilogy would be a nice way to cap off an otherwise lackluster rivalry, it would be nothing more than another “W” in the grand scheme of things. Especially for Tito – while Forrest is arguably worthy of a Hall of Fame induction, Tito already has been inducted.
Which perhaps explained why Tito Ortiz seemed more aggressive throughout the fight: Forrest had little to lose, Tito had nothing to lose. While the aggression of “The People’s Champion” seemed to have Forrest Griffin on the verge of defeat a few times during the fight, in the end it wasn’t enough. For the majority of the fight, Griffin managed to outstrike Ortiz en route to the unanimous decision victory.
Really, there is little more to be said for the actual fight. Two aging veterans entered the cage and performed like aging veterans. Both men looked slow, both men gassed out early, and if it weren’t for the names involved, this fight would have had zero chance of taking home the $75k Fight of the Night honors. If you want to watch the fight again, watch the fight again – if you missed it, you didn’t miss much.
As for the implications of the bout: Does the victory for Forrest Griffin keep him relevant in the light-heavyweight division? Don’t be crazy – Griffin looked unmotivated and admitted to letting himself be lazy throughout the fight. Does the victory improve his chances of getting into the UFC Hall of Fame? Ask Frank Shamrock to comment on whether admission into the UFC Hall of Fame relies strictly on your record. Forrest Griffin’s Hall of Fame credentials begin with his legendary bout against Stephan Bonnar and end with his victory over Rampage Jackson for the light-heavyweight title. The fact that he jabbed and wheezed his way through three rounds against a fellow aging veteran should be treated for what it is: A footnote in his career. Even if he lost last night, I’d still be convinced that he’ll one day be in the UFC Hall of Fame.
As for his bizarre post-fight decision to walk out of the cage and head towards the locker room? I’ll leave that for you all to debate. To me, what was supposed to be a time for Tito to receive one last ovation from the fans became a collective “WTF” moment for everyone involved. Rather than continuing to focus on Griffin’s antics, let’s put the spotlight back where it belongs. Thank you for the memories, Tito. It’s a shame you went out winning only one of your last nine fights, but your legacy as one of our sport’s greatest light heavyweights had been cemented well before this.
Speaking of legacies, Cung Le certainly improved his with a hard-fought victory over the returning Patrick Cote. The decorated forty year kickboxer and former Strikeforce champion picked up his first victory in the UFC over arguably his toughest test to date. Le used his dynamic striking to outpoint Cote and pull off the upset; although when Cote was able to get inside against Le, he was able to do some damage.
While a victory in the UFC is a feather in the cap of any martial artist, it’s doubtful that Le has too much further to go from here. Aside from being forty years old, he’s also a somewhat one dimensional fighter attempting to make his way through a division with wrestlers like Jake Shields, Chael Sonnen, Chris Weidman and Mark Munoz, just to name a few. Even guys like Michael Bisping, Brian Stann and Alan Belcher are balanced enough to keep Le from the deep end of the division. This isn’t meant to take away anything from Le – it’s a reminder rather that he’s not an answer to the stalemate that has become the UFC middleweight division.
As for the rest of the fights on the main card, they happened. I wish I could say more for them than that, but honestly, there’s nothing that even can be said for them. Sorry, Maia fans, but I’m not going to act like a forty-seven second freak injury tells us anything about Demian Maia‘s attempt to rejuvenate his career by dropping to welterweight. Likewise, we’ve literally said since the booking of the fight that Mendes vs. McKenzie was a ridiculous mismatch. The fact that it ended the way it did, a thirty-second body shot KO, proved it. Also, Easton vs. Menjivar provided fans exactly what they expected: A fast paced unanimous decision that has become par for the course whenever the bantamweights are in the cage. Easton came out on top, looking good, but not great. Expect at least one more victory from Easton before he’s trusted with a title shot. Meanwhile, Menjivar drops to 24-9 in his career, and will be back to the drawing board after winning three straight in the UFC before last night.
