Forrest Griffin Shows Maturity Against Franklin, Primed For Another Title Run

UFC 126 provided us with a highlight reel knockout by Anderson Silva and a submission win by Jon Jones that earned him a title shot against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, but one of the biggest developments from the card has been somewhat overlooked—the maturation of Forrest Griffin as a fighter.

Griffin, of “The Ultimate Fighter” fame, has endeared himself to fans with his brawling style and immense heart that fueled a title run. After losing his title to Rashad Evans, Griffin lost to the aforementioned Silva by first-round knockout. Three months later he avenged his previous loss to Tito Ortiz, but was forced to pull out of a scheduled fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira due to a shoulder injury in 2010.

The injury contributed to over a year of inactivity, and many observers began to view Griffin much differently than his resume suggested. A win over Tito Ortiz and a loss to Anderson Silva removed from a title fight, he became considered a gatekeeper instead of a real contender for the Light Heavyweight title.

Griffin’s decision win over Franklin lacked the electric finish that would have generated more hype, but we saw him control the fight and step outside of his comfort zone to win. We are used to seeing Forrest stay on his feet trade with most of his opponents, regardless of the matchup. Against Rich Franklin at UFC 126, we saw Griffin use his size to his advantage and take the fight to the ground against a better technical striker with more power.

The thoughtful approach evoked memories of the way Griffin executed to perfection at UFC 86 against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to win the title. Griffin has seemed to neglect using his size and underrated jiu-jitsu in the past, but his approach against Franklin suggests he has become more focused on winning than putting on a show.

At this point in his career it is important for Griffin to capitalize on his strengths when he steps into the octagon. His performance against Franklin provided a glimpse of how effective he can be when he does so. Griffin will be forced to sit out for a few months due to a foot injury, but expect him to be sharper next time with a shorter layoff between fights.

Griffin has mentioned his desire to travel to different camps, and broaden his training—again stepping outside his comfort zone to become a better fighter. Training with different camps could provide the insight he needs to patch some holes in his game and make a serious run at Shogun Rua’s belt.

Don’t expect Griffin to completely abandon his signature brawling style. Look for him to fight smarter. The late takedown against Franklin that secured the win was a great example of this.

Many will overlook Forrest Griffin in his run to reclaim the belt he held in 2008, just like he was counted out against Jackson and Rua during his original title run.

Remember how that turned out?