| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 11:00:44 AM | Most of you who are into MMA saw, or at least heard, about last Saturday's big UFC LHW title fight. Forrest Griffin beat Rampage Jackson for the Light Heavyweight championship in what some consider to be a controversial decision. Forrest, as one of the original TUF champions, has been dogged by some fans with accusations of favoritism; but is also considered by others to be a never-say-die champ with tremendous heart.
Is Forrest Griffin the #1 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world? Is he one of the top pound-for-pound fighters? | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 11:26:16 AM | | Griffin has always been underestimated. Has been since his days on TUF, and probably always will be. I'm not surprised by his win. I actually predicted a split decision victory for Forrest in the match, so a unanimous decision was even impressive to me. I think there are great things for him in the future, and would love to see his next bout. Maybe a match between Griffin and Liddell for the title should be next. Would provide an interesting storyline. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 11:32:56 AM | In his last two fights, he beat the arguably #1 lightheavy's in the world both times.
So...yea he is without a doubt the #1 lightheavy in the world.
He without a doubt in my mind beat Page. Page was just trying to land bombs and knock him out. And Forrest for most of the fight avoided that and fought a smart fight.
And not only did he do that. He inflicted most of the damage. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 5:07:06 PM |
And not only did he do that. He inflicted most of the damage.
A lot of fans would disagree with that. Did you get a look at Forrest's face after the fight? His whole face was jacked up. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 5:16:14 PM | | Forrest is okay...I don't think he has the talent of Tito, Chuck, Dan Henderon, Wanderlei, Jackson, Shogun, and now Anderson Silva. He has beat two of them but that was by far Shoguns wosre fight I've ever seen and Jackson was really a push. Tito's fight was even bad Tito hits the mid section when he goes for a take down against Forrest he went for the feet which Forrest just pushed down. He's either really lucky or I smell a fix. We'll see how he fights holding that Belt. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 5:41:03 PM |
A lot of fans would disagree with that. Did you get a look at Forrest's face after the fight? His whole face was jacked up.
Perhaps he just cuts more easily than Rampage. Rampage's injury suspension due to his knee is far longer than the one Forrest received for his eyelid cut. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/8/2008 8:42:14 PM | Rampage did get his leg severely injured, but Forrest's face looked like it ran into a cheese grater...repeatedly.
"Quinton defeated Forrest, but they gave it to Forrest.”
-----Lyoto Machida
Machida should get Forrest next. There has been talk about Chuck getting a title shot if he beats Rashad, but I'd rather see if Forrest can figure out Machida first. They were supposed to fight before Forrest got a staph infection last year, so let them fight now. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/9/2008 6:12:43 AM | [QUOTE]A lot of fans would disagree with that. Did you get a look at Forrest's face after the fight? His whole face was jacked up. [/QUOTE]
His faces has a tendancy to do that.
But Page's knee doesn't.
Those kicks were far worse than any punch. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/9/2008 7:42:38 AM | Forrest deserves a lot of respect. He's always game in every fight. But, let's face it---winning a war of attrition through leg kicks and using your length to avoid fighting on the inside isn't exactly the most bad-ass way to win. Yeah, Forrest attacked Quinton's leg effectively; but Forrest got dropped like a sack of potatoes in that 1st round. Forrest crumpled. Rampage's hooks and uppercut in that first round looked better than all of Forrest's consistent scoring with the leg kicks.
No one can refute the fact that Forrest is now the #1 205-pounder in the world....BUT, Forrest has yet to show that he can dominate a top guy who is 100% in a fight. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/9/2008 2:57:17 PM | Personally after viewing the fight with Bonner that put Griffin (and Bonner) on the MMA map, it's my opinion that Bonner won that fight....no doubt in my mind...
I also have no doubt in my mind the judges got it right last Saturday...he beat Rampage up... | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/9/2008 8:40:05 PM | Beat Rampage? Im sorry but the fight was a draw. (by fight metric standards)
Lets REALLY look at his career.
Beat Bonner to win tuf 1 which could have been a draw ..
Lost to ortiz..
Got owned by jardine..
Beat a very soft shogun..
Beat a soft rampage..(potential draw)
Bottom line is Liddell is the gatekeeper at 205..Until that fight happens..And until he wins..He will still be the most underated fighter at 205 and overated at that. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/10/2008 3:12:11 PM | "i got my ass kicked" Rampage
i think it was a close fight but after the fight Jackson said he lost. as for his next fight i would like to see spider fight him after he win next week. let him have two belts | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/12/2008 10:51:55 AM | ^^Anderson's manager says that he won't fight for the 205 lb. belt. Anderson is going to let Lyoto go after that, because Lyoto is his friend and training partner.
Back to Forrest: he's on a collision course to fight Lyoto Machida. There's nothing anyone can do about that. As boring as Machida might be, he deserves a shot sooner rather than later. I don't see Chuck beating Rashad, so he won't be in line for the shot. Machida will be the only one left, provided he gets by whomever he fights in October. Despite people's misgivings about Machida, he and Forrest would put on a hell of a fight. | |
|
| |
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/12/2008 10:03:45 PM |
Back to Forrest: he's on a collision course to fight Lyoto Machida. There's nothing anyone can do about that. As boring as Machida might be, he deserves a shot sooner rather than later.
Agreed. Machida is the man at 205 right now. Unfortunately I think Dana White is loathe to have Machida fight for the title as, let's face it, his fights are boring as sh*t. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/13/2008 8:24:06 AM |
I don't see Chuck beating Rashad,
Why?
Rashad is a perfect matchup for Chuck.
He's sort of a smaller version of Tito. And we all know what happened to Tito.
I see this being a 2nd round KO for Chuck. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/13/2008 8:52:10 AM | ^^Rashad is going to beat Chuck. Remember that Chuck is now 38 years old. Chuck is slower and has lost some power in his punches. He's not the same fighter he was when he fought Tito. The other thing to remember is that Tito always had a flinch factor in his fights with Chuck. When pressed, Tito buried his head in his hands (rope-a-dope style) in both of their fights and was too worried about being knocked unconscious to defend properly. Rashad is not going to have that hangup, and Chuck would have to truly KO him to win. Remember also that Rashad is a better wrestler (did much better in Division 1) than either Tito or Chuck ever did. Tito and Randy both showed that Chuck can be taken down in fights, and if you can keep Chuck down like Randy did in their first fight, you can win. With his hamstring and knee problems, Chuck is not going be the sprawler and escape wiz that he used to be. Rashad would bury him in LNP.
Back to Forrest: I see Forrest beating Chuck if they ever fight. He would use his footwork, ring savvy, and leg kicks just like he did against Rampage. You saw what Jardine did to Chuck. Forrest could do the same and pull off the win against Liddell. Forrest vs. Rashad would be an interesting fight. Rashad would be going for takedowns and would succeed in getting Forrest to the ground. If Shogun, with his gimpy leg, could take Forrest down repeatedly, Rashad would have no problem doing the same. However, I think Forrest could pull off a submission against Rashad on the ground.
Forrest vs. Machida is the fight we need to see. If he's fighting for the title, Machida would finally be in a position where he would have to take it to Forrest. He couldn't hang back and counterstrike and expect to win. That would be a hell of a fight. A win against Machida would legitimize Forrest in a way that beating Chuck or Rashad can't. Machida should be Forrest's next fight. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/13/2008 12:29:24 PM | ^^Rashad is going to beat Chuck.
I'd love to see that happen.
Rashad is not going to have that hangup, and Chuck would have to truly KO him to win. Remember also that Rashad is a better wrestler (did much better in Division 1) than either Tito or Chuck ever did. Tito and Randy both showed that Chuck can be taken down in fights, and if you can keep Chuck down like Randy did in their first fight, you can win. With his hamstring and knee problems, Chuck is not going be the sprawler and escape wiz that he used to be. Rashad would bury him in LNP.
There has only been one person to ever take Chuck down and keep him there. And that guy is a 4-time all-american and olympic alternate. Age or no age, you need to remember there is a big difference in Couture and Evans.
I really don't see Rashad being much of a problem for Chuck. Barring Chuck comming in injured or getting injured in the fight.
I think Chuck will be in good enough shape to beat Evans.
This is a prototypical Chuck fight.
He faces a wrestler with no standup. And the wrestler getts KTFO!
It's just that simple.
I'm not saying Evans doesn't stand a chance. But....his chances are low at best.
After this fight, barring injuries to the fighters. Chuck will probably get a shot at the title in decemeber.
Forrest could do the same and pull off the win against Liddell
He could. But i'm afraid he might try to bang with Chuck. And if he does.......we know the end of that story. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/13/2008 12:48:03 PM |
There has only been one person to ever take Chuck down and keep him there.
Randy wasn't the only one. Vitor Belfort did it in the first round of his fight with Chuck. Vitor kept Chuck down for a huge portion of that round. Chuck did well against Wand, but Chuck had a huge reach advantage against Wand and Wand had little wrestling to bring to bear. Chuck also gassed horribly against Wand. I don't think Chuck is going to make it to a title fight with Forrest; but if he does, I'll be rooting for Chuck. He's way past his prime, and I don't see him beating Forrest either; but it would be cool if he can get his title back. | |
|
| |
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/14/2008 7:14:52 AM | Chuck won't factor into the title picture at 205 lbs. after his next fight. He won't get to face guys like Vernon White or middleweight Jeremy Horn any longer. The division has been raised to another level. Forrest's big challenges are going to come from Machida, Rampage, Thiago Silva, perhaps Wand, and Rashad.
Frankly, I don't see Forrest keeping the belt long; but he's exceeded expectations before. We'll see. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/14/2008 8:05:27 AM |
Chuck won't factor into the title picture at 205 lbs. after his next fight. He won't get to face guys like Vernon White or middleweight Jeremy Horn any longer. The division has been raised to another level. Forrest's big challenges are going to come from Machida, Rampage, Thiago Silva, perhaps Wand, and Rashad.
Frankly, I don't see Forrest keeping the belt long; but he's exceeded expectations before. We'll see.
If he beats Evans. Even Stevie Wonder could see he is getting a title shot soon afterward.
And he has more than a shot against Forrest. I just don't trust Forrest to not get the urge to bang with Chuck.
I also think that Machida will most likely be champ soon. Tho he did say that his toughest challenge would be Chuck.
O, and by the way. I'm no Chuck fanboy either. | |
|
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 7/14/2008 6:56:11 PM |
If he beats Evans. Even Stevie Wonder could see he is getting a title shot soon afterward.
If Chuck destroys Evans, I'll have no problem with him getting a shot. If he squeaks by in a split-decision or majority-decision, then Chuck shouldn't get the shot---for his own good.
Back to Forrest: what's amazing about Forrest is that he does well even though he rarely fights from his strong suit. The ground is his strong suit, and if this guy took the time to become black-belted in Jiu-Jitsu with a top instructor, he could be lethal. Instead, Forrest consistently prefers to keep fights standing, where he's good but not the best. It worked against Rampage; but that's because Rampage was unwilling (until the 4th round) to check those leg kicks properly.
Forrest is a great fighter, but if he keeps trying to be slugfest champ, he will not remain LHW champ. | |
|
| |
| Forrest Griffin: UFC Poster Boy or MMA Giant?
Posted: 6/28/2009 7:50:53 AM | | I like Forest and grew up watching him. His personality is a key reason fans love him. He has great work ethics and superior cardio training. I don't think he will last against Silva. Silva's last two fights were a disappointment to watch. Mainly, because he was matched against opponents that were not on his level. Forest definitely has heart, but will go down in round three to a decision. Silva's lackluster performance is the reason no one pays to see him. Every time I watch him it is like he intentionally draws the fight out..like a sparing match with friends! | |
|
Home
login 
