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Forrest Griffin

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Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American mixed martial artist and author currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Griffin is currently ranked as the #4 light heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog,[1] and #3 by MMAWeekly.[2]

Forrest was one of the coaches on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs Team Forrest, airing on Spike TV.[3] The other coach was then-UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, whom he went on to defeat for the title at UFC 86. In June of 2009, his book, Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat, was released to good reviews.[4]

Early life

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.[5] While attending school, Griffin served as a law enforcement officer for the Richmond County Sheriff's Office in Augusta, Georgia. He also served as a patrol officer with the University of Georgia Police. [6]

He trained at the HardCore Gym in Athens[7] for five years under Adam and Rory Singer.[8] He later left law enforcement to pursue a career in professional mixed martial arts.[9] Griffin is also an MMA instructor at Warrior Training Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada.[10]

Mixed martial arts career

The Ultimate Fighter

Griffin first became well-known by taking part in the first-season of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter, a mixed martial arts reality show. At the time, he was ready to give up mixed martial arts and rejoin the Athens Police Department, but he was persuaded by Dana White to take part in the show.[citation needed].

Main article: Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar

On the show, he reached the finals where he defeated Stephan Bonnar by unanimous decision. The fight was credited by Dana White as the "most important fight in UFC history"[11] and the fight that brought the UFC into the mainstream. For winning the competition he was given a six-figure professional contract to fight with the UFC.[8][12] (The Stephen Bonnar fight was declared the #1 UFC fight of all time in the UFC Ultimate 100 program.)

Forrest is known for his comedic antics, highlighted in interviews. During his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan after his second victory over Stephan Bonnar, he joked to the crowd that he came into the fight with "an inflamed vagina."

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, in 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 from their earlier epic fight.[13] Griffin won by unanimous decision, sweeping all three rounds.[14] The fight wasn't as explosive as their previous encounter but was still an exciting bout.[14]

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."[15] 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.[16]

On June 16, 2007 Griffin defeated Hector Ramirez at UFC 72 in Belfast, Northern Ireland via unanimous decision. Griffin won a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 30–27 to Griffin.[17]

At UFC 76, Griffin fought against PRIDE's 2005 Middleweight (205 lb) Grand Prix champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua[18]. At the time, Shogun was ranked the #1 light heavyweight 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. [19]

The Ultimate Fighter 7

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.[20] 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.[21]

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

On July 5, 2008, Griffin fought the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Viewed as a heavy underdog by many going into the fight,[22] Griffin faced Jackson in a hard fought battle that was given "Fight of the Night" honors by UFC president Dana White.[23] Griffin won a unanimous decision victory and became the new undisputed UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Griffin appeared to be in trouble in the first round after being dropped by an uppercut, but he rallied in the second round, and landed a damaging leg kick early that severely wobbled Jackson. Griffin followed up with ground strikes and cemented his control, preventing Jackson from mounting any significant offense for the entire round. After three more grueling rounds, Griffin went on to win the match by unanimous decision to capture the light heavyweight title.[24]

The decision was described as controversial by many commentators.[25][26][27] 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 but never filed as it would not have changed the decision. [28]

Griffin's documented pay for the fight was $310,000. $100,000 to fight, win bonus of $150,000, and $60,000 for the Fight of the Night award.[29]

Losing the title

Griffin's first title defense came at UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008, against undefeated challenger Rashad Evans.[30] After Griffin controlled most of the first two rounds with effective striking, Evans defeated Griffin by TKO in the third round with ground and pound from inside the champion's guard.[31] The loss was Griffin's third loss since entering the UFC.[32] During the fight Griffin broke his hand, sidelining him for several months.

Anderson Silva

After recovery, Griffin signed on to fight pound-for-pound stalwart Anderson Silva at UFC 101.[33] Griffin was slated to take on Brazilian Thiago Silva, but on April 28, 2009, UFC President Dana White confirmed that he would instead accommodate Anderson's return to the light heavyweight division following his middleweight title defense against Thales Leites at UFC 97.

During the bout, Griffin was knocked down three times in the first round by Silva. During the third knockdown, Griffin charged Silva with a flurry of punches but was countered with a well-placed right hand to his jaw that sent him to the canvas with arms flailing, prompting the referee to stop the fight.

After the fight, Griffin got up from the canvas and left the cage. According to initial commentary, Griffin was rushed to a hospital due to a dislocated jaw and trouble hearing in one ear.[34] The next day however, MMAWeekly.com reported that Griffin's jaw was not dislocated and that he was physically fine, but was having trouble dealing with the loss.[35] Both fighters were awarded $60,000 as Fight of the Night bonuses and Silva received an additional $60,000 in bonus money for Knockout of the Night.Griffin's loss was so humiliating, that he is contemplating a sex change operation and hopes to garner the attention of Anderson Silva so that he could become his wife. Griffin has spoken to several doctors to perform the procedure, and hopes to fight Gina Carrano shortly thereafter. In an exclusive interview with mma weekly, Griffin stated he believes he could submit Carrano in the first round.

Personal life

Griffin is married.[36]

Championships and awards

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
The Ultimate Fighter: Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner
Three time Fight of the Night Honors
Submission of the Night Honors

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Fight of the Year 2005: vs Stephan Bonnar (TUF 1 Finale)
Fight of the Year 2008: vs Quinton Jackson (UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin)

FIGHTING SPIRIT magazine

Fight of The Year 2006: vs Tito Ortiz (UFC 59: Reality Check)[37]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
22 matches 16 wins 6 losses
By knockout 3 4
By submission 7 0
By decision 6 2
Result Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 16–6 Brazil Anderson Silva TKO (punch) UFC 101: Declaration August 8, 2009 1 3:23 United States Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Won Fight of the Night Honors
Loss 16–5 United States Rashad Evans TKO (strikes) UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 December 27, 2008 3 2:46 United States Las Vegas, Nevada Lost the UFC LH Championship; Won Fight of the Night
Win 16–4 United States Quinton Jackson Decision (unanimous) UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin July 5, 2008 5 5:00 United States Las Vegas, Nevada Won the UFC LH Championship; Won Fight of the Night
Win 15–4 Brazil Mauricio Rua Submission (rear naked choke) UFC 76: Knockout September 22, 2007 3 4:45 United States Anaheim, California Won Submission of the Night Honors
Win 14–4 United States Hector Ramirez Decision (unanimous) UFC 72: Victory June 16, 2007 3 5:00 United Kingdom Belfast, Northern Ireland
Loss 13–4 United States Keith Jardine TKO (strikes) UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz December 30, 2006 1 4:41 United States Las Vegas, Nevada
Win 13–3 United States Stephan Bonnar Decision (unanimous) UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral August 26, 2006 3 5:00 United States Las Vegas, Nevada
Loss 12–3 United States Tito Ortiz Decision (split) UFC 59: Reality Check April 15, 2006 3 5:00 United States Anaheim, California
Win 12–2 Australia Elvis Sinosic TKO (strikes) UFC 55: Fury October 7, 2005 1 3:30 United States Uncasville, Connecticut
Win 11–2 Canada Bill Mahood Submission (rear naked choke) UFC 53: Heavy Hitters June 4, 2005 1 2:18 United States Atlantic City, New Jersey
Win 10–2 United States Stephan Bonnar Decision (unanimous) The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale April 9, 2005 3 5:00 United States Las Vegas, Nevada Won The Ultimate Fighter 1: Light Heavyweight
Win 9–2 Brazil Edson Paredao KO (punch) Heat FC 2: Evolution December 18, 2003 1 1:04 Brazil Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Loss 8–2 United States Jeremy Horn TKO (kick) IFC: Global Domination September 6, 2003 2 3:40 United States Denver, Colorado
Win 8–1 United States Chael Sonnen Submission (triangle choke) IFC: Global Domination September 6, 2003 1 2:25 United States Denver, Colorado
Win 7–1 Brazil Ebenezer Fontes Braga Submission (rear naked choke) Heat FC 1: Genesis July 31, 2003 1 N/A Brazil Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Win 6–1 United States Steve Sayegh Submission (strikes) KOTC 20: Crossroads December 15, 2002 1 1:45 United States Bernalillo, New Mexico
Win 5–1 United States Travis Fulton TKO (cut) CC 1: Halloween Heat, ISCF Sanctioned October 26, 2002 1 5:00 United States Atlanta, Georgia
Win 4–1 United States Jeff Monson Decision (unanimous) WEFC 1: Bring It On, ISCF Sanctioned June 29, 2002 4 4:00 United States Marietta, Georgia
Win 3–1 United States Kent Hensley Submission (triangle choke) Battle at the Brewery, ISCF Sanctioned April 12, 2002 1 2:26 United States Atlanta, Georgia
Win 2–1 United States Jason Braswell Decision (split) RSF 7: Animal Instinct January 26, 2002 3 4:00 United States Lakeland, Florida
Win 1–1 South Africa Wiehan Lesh Submission (rear naked choke) Pride and Honor November 24, 2001 1 N/A South Africa South Africa
Loss 0–1 United States Dan Severn Decision (unanimous) RSF 5: New Blood Conflict, ISCF Sanctioned October 27, 2001 3 4:00 United States Augusta, Georgia

TV, movie, and video game career

References

  1. ^ "Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings: Light Heavyweight". SHERDOG.com. 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
  2. ^ "MMA's Top Ten: LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)". MMAWEEKLY.com. 2009-07-15. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  3. ^ "FORREST GRIFFIN RETURNS AS SEASON 7 COACH". MMAWEEKLY.com. 2007-12-09. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  4. ^ http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Got-Fight/Forrest-Griffin/e/9780061721717
  5. ^ http://www.fight3r.com/topics/Forrest%20Griffin?
  6. ^ http://www.ultimate-fighter.ca/blog/2007/forrest-griffin-interview-exclusive-to-ultimate-fighter-discussion/
  7. ^ http://www.forrestgriffin.net/news/news_8.html
  8. ^ a b Forrest Griffin - The Ultimate Fighter
  9. ^ Forrest Griffin - The Ultimate Fighter
  10. ^ http://www.warriortc.tv/instructors.asp
  11. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-ufcmiddle112408&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
  12. ^ Forrest Griffin - The Ultimate Fighter
  13. ^ http://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-62-Liddell-vs-Sobral-4027
  14. ^ a b http://martialarts.about.com/od/news/a/ufc62.htm
  15. ^ http://www.themmaboards.com/showthread.php?t=2632
  16. ^ Bolduc, Justin (February 23, 2007). "Arlovski vs Werdum at UFC 70". Nokaut. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); External link in |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-72-Victory-Live-Play-by-Play-7931
  18. ^ "Shogun to Face Griffin, Not Machida". Nokaut. July 19, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); External link in |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "Forrest Griffin to have shoulder surgery". UFCMania. February 23, 2007. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ http://mmafrenzy.com/2007/12/09/one-coach-officially-announced-for-the-ultimate-fighter-7/
  21. ^ Forrest Griffin - MMA Fighter Profile - ProElite
  22. ^ "No Joke. Griffin on Serious Rampage for Jackson". Sherdog. July 4, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2008. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ "Main Event Wows, Forrest Wins". MMAWeekly. July 6, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2008. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/ufc-86-jackson-vs-griffin-play-by-play-13559
  25. ^ UFC 86 decision spotlights scoring system - MMA - Yahoo! Sports
  26. ^ Griffin Snatches UFC Title with Controversial Win
  27. ^ UFC 86 REVIEW: MAIN EVENT WOWS, FORREST WINS! - MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more
  28. ^ Juanito Ibarra Holding Off On Protest | MMAFrenzy.com
  29. ^ http://mmajunkie.com/news/4741/griffin-jackson-guillard-and-miller-earn-60k-ufc-86-bonuses.mma
  30. ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/evans-mir-crowned-rampage-gets-revenge-15607
  31. ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/ufc-92-play-by-play-15600
  32. ^ http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=7051&zoneid=13
  33. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=ki-silvagriffin042909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
  34. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxingandmma/5998996/Forrest-Griffin-camp-reveal-dislocated-jaw-as-Anderson-Silva-contemplates-Lyoto-Machida.html
  35. ^ http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=9333&zoneid=13
  36. ^ "Got Fight? Forrest Griffin KO's The Publishing World". UFC.com. 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
  37. ^ http://ronin5.com/fighters/bio/Tito_Ortiz
  38. ^ Digg - Forrest Griffin on Law and Order
  39. ^ http://mixedmartialartvideos.com/2008/02/22/human-weapon-ninjutsu-full-video-episode-15/
Preceded by 8th UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
July 5, 2008 – December 27, 2008 		Succeeded by

Template:The Ultimate Fighter 1 Template:The Ultimate Fighter 7

Template:Persondata

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