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</ref> In the bout, Griffin pushed the pace of the fight from the opening bell, keeping his distance with long jabs and leg kicks, while Jackson continuously looked for a knockout.<ref name=sherdogcontroversial>http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/griffin-snatches-ufc-title-with-controversial-win-13564</ref> Jackson dropped Griffin in the first round with an uppercut, but Griffin survived and went on his own offensive in the second round hurting Jackson with leg kicks and eventually [[mount (grappling)|mounting]] him for nearly three minutes.<ref name=sherdogcontroversial/> The remaining rounds were far closer, thus not leaving the spectators with a clear-cut victor at the end of the fight.<ref name=sherdogcontroversial/> The official judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46 and 49-46 for Griffin giving him an unanimous decision victory, and making him the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. After the fight Jackson's trainer [[Juanito Ibarra]], unhappy with the judges scoring, expressed plans to protest the unanimous decision with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.<ref name=sherdogfallout>http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=13575</ref> However, after speaking with the commission he decided not to as even if the judges scores were changed to give |
</ref> In the bout, Griffin pushed the pace of the fight from the opening bell, keeping his distance with long jabs and leg kicks, while Jackson continuously looked for a knockout.<ref name=sherdogcontroversial>http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/griffin-snatches-ufc-title-with-controversial-win-13564</ref> Jackson dropped Griffin in the first round with an uppercut, but Griffin survived and went on his own offensive in the second round hurting Jackson with leg kicks and eventually [[mount (grappling)|mounting]] him for nearly three minutes.<ref name=sherdogcontroversial/> The remaining rounds were far closer, thus not leaving the spectators with a clear-cut victor at the end of the fight.<ref name=sherdogcontroversial/> The official judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46 and 49-46 for Griffin giving him an unanimous decision victory, and making him the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. After the fight Jackson's trainer [[Juanito Ibarra]], unhappy with the judges scoring, expressed plans to protest the unanimous decision with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.<ref name=sherdogfallout>http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=13575</ref> However, after speaking with the commission he decided not to as even if the judges scores were changed to give "Rampage" the first round with a score of 10-8, the result would still be a majority decision for Forrest. After all was said and done Ibarra did not file a protest. |
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<ref>http://www.mmafrenzy.com/2008/07/11/juanito-ibarra-holding-off-on-protest/</ref> |
<ref>http://www.mmafrenzy.com/2008/07/11/juanito-ibarra-holding-off-on-protest/</ref> |
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<ref>http://mmamania.com/2008/07/09/juanito-ibarra-hasnt-filed-a-formal-protest-on-ufc-86-judging-yet/</ref>. |
<ref>http://mmamania.com/2008/07/09/juanito-ibarra-hasnt-filed-a-formal-protest-on-ufc-86-judging-yet/</ref>. |
Revision as of 16:59, 28 July 2008
Template:MMAstatsbox Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion, where he is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Griffin is currently ranked as the #1 light heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog[1], and #1 by MMAWeekly[2]. He holds notable wins over: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Jeff Monson, Stephan Bonnar, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Forrest was recently one of the coaches on the popular TV series "The Ultimate Fighter", airing on Spike TV. The other coach was then-UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, whom he went on to defeat for the title at UFC 86.
He is well known for his overall well roundedness, work ethic, and his durability.
Education
Griffin graduated from Evans High School in Evans, Georgia, a suburb of Augusta. He then graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Georgia. While attending school, he served as a law enforcement officer. He trained at the HardCore Gym in Athens for five years under Adam and Rory Singer. He later left law enforcement to pursue a career in professional mixed martial arts.[3]
Mixed Martial Arts Career
UFC
The Ultimate Fighter
Dana White said that he had to beg Griffin to get on a plane to take part in the first season of the Ultimate Fighter. Griffin, at the time, was ready to give up Mixed Martial Arts and rejoin the Athens Police Department. He first became well-known by taking part in the first-season of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter, a reality show which showcases mixed martial arts. He defeated Stephan Bonnar in a popular final bout, credited by Dana White as the "most important fight in UFC history" and the fight that brought the UFC into the mainstream, winning by unanimous decision and landing him a professional contract to fight with the UFC (See Griffin vs Bonnar, April 9, 2005, Bonnar also received a contract).
After The Ultimate Fighter
On April 15 2006, Griffin took on his toughest opponent yet when he fought former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 59, which he lost a controversial split decision. Despite his loss on the judges scorecards he won over the fans with his ability to withstand everything that Tito could throw at him.
At UFC 62, Griffin fought Stephan Bonnar in a rematch. Griffin won by unanimous decision, sweeping all three rounds.
Griffin was then defeated by Ultimate Fighter 2 semifinalist Keith Jardine at UFC 66 by way of TKO at 4:41 of the first round. After the fight, a visibly distraught Griffin sat in his corner crying. Moments later, he walked away from Joe Rogan's attempt to interview him, saying "I don't ev...Keith came in, and he did exactly what I wanted to do, and he knocked me the fuck out. Let's go home." Griffin then walked off camera, leaving Joe Rogan to speak to the camera by himself. Moments later, Griffin reappeared heading the opposite direction saying, "I'll be back," as he headed out of the Octagon.
Griffin's next fight was supposed to be at UFC 70 against Lyoto Machida on April 21, 2007 but he was unable to fight due to a staph infection.[4]
On June 16 2007 Griffin defeated Hector Ramirez at UFC 72 in Belfast, Northern Ireland via unanimous decision.
At UFC 76, Griffin fought against PRIDE's 2005 Middleweight (205 lb) Grand Prix champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua[5]. At the time Shogun was ranked the #1 fighter in the world by several MMA publications. Griffin won by rear naked choke at 4:45 of round three after dominating Shogun for the majority of the fight. It has since been reported that Griffin required surgery after the fight due to a shoulder injury that was sustained before the bout. It has also been reported that this shoulder has been a recurring problem for Griffin. [6]
The Ultimate Fighter 6
On The Ultimate Fighter 6 finale, Dana White announced that Griffin was not only the number one contender for the Light Heavyweight title but also one of the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter 7 and would fight the other coach at the end of the series. The other coach, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was announced by Dana White on December 9 at Spike TV's Video Game Awards show.
On June 20 2008, Griffin co-hosted the 25 Tuffest Moments in The Ultimate Fighter with Stephan Bonnar and Dana White.[7]
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
After The Ultimate Fighter 7 ended, Griffin fought Jackson on July 5, 2008 at UFC 86 for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship with Griffin viewed as an heavy underdog by oddsmakers going into the fight.[8] In the bout, Griffin pushed the pace of the fight from the opening bell, keeping his distance with long jabs and leg kicks, while Jackson continuously looked for a knockout.[9] Jackson dropped Griffin in the first round with an uppercut, but Griffin survived and went on his own offensive in the second round hurting Jackson with leg kicks and eventually mounting him for nearly three minutes.[9] The remaining rounds were far closer, thus not leaving the spectators with a clear-cut victor at the end of the fight.[9] The official judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46 and 49-46 for Griffin giving him an unanimous decision victory, and making him the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. After the fight Jackson's trainer Juanito Ibarra, unhappy with the judges scoring, expressed plans to protest the unanimous decision with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.[10] However, after speaking with the commission he decided not to as even if the judges scores were changed to give "Rampage" the first round with a score of 10-8, the result would still be a majority decision for Forrest. After all was said and done Ibarra did not file a protest. [11] [12]. Griffin's documented pay for the fight was $250,000. $100,000 to fight and a win bonus of $150,000.
Awards and Honors
- Inaugural winner of the reality show The Ultimate Fighter
- MMAWeekly, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Fight of the Year 2005: vs Stephan Bonnar (TUF 1 Finals)
- Fight of The Year 2006: vs Tito Ortiz (UFC 59)
Championships
- The Ultimate Fighter: Light Heavyweight Tournament Champion
- UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Mixed Martial Arts Record
20 matches | 16 wins | 4 losses |
By knockout | 3 | 2 |
By submission | 7 | 0 |
By decision | 6 | 2 |
Date | Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Round | Time | Notes |
July 5 2008 | Win | Quinton Jackson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin | 5 | 5:00 | Won UFC Light Heavyweight Championship; Won Fight of the Night Honors |
September 22 2007 | Win | Mauricio Rua | Submission (rear naked choke) | UFC 76: Knockout | 3 | 4:45 | Won Submission of the Night Honors |
June 16 2007 | Win | Hector Ramirez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 72: Victory | 3 | 5:00 | |
December 30 2006 | Loss | Keith Jardine | TKO (strikes) | UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz | 1 | 4:41 | |
August 26 2006 | Win | Stephan Bonnar | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral | 3 | 5:00 | Bonnar tests positive for boldenone after the fight |
April 15 2006 | Loss | Tito Ortiz | Decision (split) | UFC 59: Reality Check | 3 | 5:00 | |
October 7 2005 | Win | Elvis Sinosic | TKO (strikes) | UFC 55: Fury | 1 | 3:30 | |
June 4 2005 | Win | Bill Mahood | Submission (rear naked choke) | UFC 53: Heavy Hitters | 1 | 2:18 | |
April 9 2005 | Win | Stephan Bonnar | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale | 3 | 5:00 | Won The Ultimate Fighter: Light Heavyweight Tournament |
December 18 2003 | Win | Edson Paredao | KO (punch) | Heat FC 2: Evolution | 1 | 1:04 | |
September 6 2003 | Loss | Jeremy Horn | KO (kick) | IFC: Global Domination | 2 | 3:40 | |
September 6 2003 | Win | Chael Sonnen | Submission (triangle choke) | IFC: Global Domination | 1 | 2:25 | |
July 31 2003 | Win | Ebenezer Fontes Braga | Submission (rear naked choke) | Heat FC 1: Genesis | 1 | ? | |
December 15 2002 | Win | Steve Sayegh | Submission (strikes) | KOTC 20: Crossroads | 1 | 1:45 | |
October 26 2002 | Win | Travis Fulton | TKO (cut) | CC 1: Halloween Heat | 1 | 5:00 | |
June 29 2002 | Win | Jeff Monson | Decision (unanimous) | WEFC 1: Bring It On | 4 | 4:00 | |
April 12 2002 | Win | Kent Hensley | Submission (triangle choke) | ISCF: Battle at the Brewery | 1 | 2:26 | |
January 26 2002 | Win | Jason Braswell | Decision (split) | RSF 7: Animal Instinct | 3 | 4:00 | |
November 24 2001 | Win | Wiehan Lesh | Submission (rear naked choke) | Pride and Honor | 1 | ? | |
October 27 2001 | Loss | Dan Severn | Decision (unanimous) | RSF 5: New Blood Conflict | 3 | 4:00 |
TV/Movie Career
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. On November 28, 2007 he had a brief cameo in the episode "Fight" as a MMA champion and murder suspect.[13]
- Human Weapon. On September 28, 2007 he had a cameo in the episode of MMA: America's Extreme Fighting.
References
- ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=13605&my_page=3
- ^ http://mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/topten.asp?articleid=15&zoneid=15
- ^ http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/ufc/article1355530.ece
- ^ Bolduc, Justin (February 23, 2007). "Arlovski vs Werdum at UFC 70". Nokaut.
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- ^ "Shogun to Face Griffin, Not Machida". Nokaut. July 19, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
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- ^ "Forrest Griffin to have shoulder surgery". UFCMania. February 23, 2007.
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- ^ http://forrestgriffin.proelite.com/
- ^ "No Joke. Griffin on Serious Rampage for Jackson". Sherdog. July 4, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
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- ^ a b c http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/griffin-snatches-ufc-title-with-controversial-win-13564
- ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=13575
- ^ http://www.mmafrenzy.com/2008/07/11/juanito-ibarra-holding-off-on-protest/
- ^ http://mmamania.com/2008/07/09/juanito-ibarra-hasnt-filed-a-formal-protest-on-ufc-86-judging-yet/
- ^ http://digg.com/other_sports/Forrest_Griffin_on_Law_and_Order
External links
Template:The Ultimate Fighter 1 Template:The Ultimate Fighter 7