According to the great Yahoo! combat-sportswriter—and Facebook friend—Kevin Iole, some new developments have taken place regarding an upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship undercard matchup.
It seems that with news of Mark Coleman bowing out of next month's UFC 106 event—where he was scheduled to face Tito Ortiz—due to a torn ACL, an old familiar face has now entered this somewhat laughable scenario.
Former UFC 205-pound champion and The Ultimate Fighter season (who cares) product Forrest Griffin (16-6, 7-4 UFC) has now stepped up on less than six week's notice to face Ortiz on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
So now, if all goes as planned, The Huntington Beach "Has Been," Tito Ortiz, will no longer have to worry about an ancient UFC pioneer named Mark Coleman beating him up in front of the ex-porn star wife and kiddies.
He may now be more concerned, however, that they may get trampled on, or run over by the stampeding cage-fighter, Griffin, should Griffin lose the upcoming match.
The UFC's version of Forrest Gump was the brunt of many jokes following his instantaneous knockout loss humiliation and subsequent post-fight sprint from the cage against Anderson Silva at UFC 101.
As a result, following this latest loss, Chants of "run, Forrest, run," could be heard all over cyberspace for literally weeks afterward.
All jokes aside, however, this is an extremely good match-up, and after a close fight in their first meeting at UFC 59, it almost seems justifiable to let them spar it out and slap each other around once again.
A word of warning, however, don't expect any knockouts here; neither man has the power to bruise a good-sized hummingbird.
That won't stop them from trying to perform the deed, however, and a school-yard brawl with bloody noses and hurt feelings will likely ensue, with one of them maybe receiving a black eye as a result.
A 34-year-old Ortiz coming off a long layoff and having undergone serious back surgery won't put up much of a fight, I'm afraid.
However, with overblown ego still intact, I'm sure he will attempt to play the role of the prodigal son and UFC savior, resurrected, born again, and back to save the world from the bad-ass Brazilians.
As for Gump Griffin, luckily for him, he is fan favorite and one of UFC President Dana White's original golden children, born from his reality show baby.
It's this writer's opinion that this is the singular reason why he keeps getting second and third chances at these big-ticket events.
If it were anyone else besides Griffin, after his latest charades, you can bet he would be lucky to be on an under-card at "Rumble on the Rock" or a "Rage in the Cage" event.
Not his fault, but Griffin has become somewhat of sympathetic charity case or UFC mascot figure with the fans, and because he was once in our living rooms during his reality show days, we feel we should know him.
For what it's worth, both these "tomato cans" are former household names, so the ticket sales for this woodshed slap-fest at MGM Grand Garden Mandalay Bay Events Center on Nov. 21 should escalate accordingly.
I'm extremely excited to see this much anticipated rematch—not!
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