» Fighter: Tyson Griffin

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (33-4-1) will replace Tyson Griffin (14-2) versus “Mongoose” Jim Miller (15-2) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2, according to MMA Weekly.

Read More About UFC 108: Sean Sherk Versus Jim Miller Reported…

Xtreme Couture lightweight Tyson Griffin (14-2) and “Mongoose” Jim Miller (15-2) have agreed to a matchup at UFC 108 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas January 2, according to an MMA Junkie report.

Read More About UFC 108: Tyson Griffin Versus Jim Miller…

Xtreme Couture’s “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) scored his bulliest victory in four-plus years TKOing Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) at 3:02 of round one in a 195-pound catch weight main event at UFC 103 in Dallas Saturday night.

“Jesus, I love you,” shouted Belfort in the Octagon after the fight, and in his dressing room he added,  “God gave me a gift and I’m using it.  And, I’m ready.  A lot of people thought I was done, you know, and that’s what I’m bringing to this game – hope, faith, and hard work.

Read More About Vitor Belfort Phenomenal Over Rich Franklin, dos Santos Convinces Cro Cop to Quit at UFC 103…

American Kickboxing Academy’s “Quick” Mike Swick (14-2) and Xtreme Couture’s “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (15-2) will fight at UFC 103 in Dallas 19 September, announced the UFC today, and the winner will be the next challenger to UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2), according to a report by MMA Junkie.

Both former middlweight title prospects who dropped weight to compete at 170-pounds, neither Swick nor Kampmann have proven themselves against the UFC’s established competition: former champions “Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) and Matt Hughes (41-7) and former title challengers “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) and Jon Fitch (19-3).

Swick trains with Fitch and former welterweight contender Josh Koscheck (12-4) and most recently outclassed “Killa B” Ben Saunders (7-1-2) with a second round TKO at UFC 99 in Cologne last month. But, Swick’s most noteworthy “W” is a unanimous decision over nails-tough “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (16-5), who never cracked the top ten himself.

Read More About UFC 103: Swick v Kampmann to Determine St. Pierre Challenger…

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked lightweight “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (33-3-1), Tyson Griffin (12-2), “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (7-1), and “King” Spencer Fisher (22-4) each took home  $65,000 bonuses after UFC 90 Saturday night in Rosemont, near Chicago, UFC officials announced after the event.

Sherk and Griffin won Fight of the Night honours for their three round battle that ended in a unanimous decision victory for former champion Sherk.

UFC newcomer Dos Santos’s first-round TKO upset over fourth-ranked heavyweight “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1) was the Knockout of the Night.

Fisher’s third-round triangle choke of Shannon Gugerty (11-3) earned him the Submission of the Night prize.

The event drew a sellout crowd of 15,359 which set a record $2.8 million gate for the Allstate Arena.

Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (23-4) won by TKO at UFC 90 in Chicago Saturday night when “Predator” Patrick Cote’s (13-5) knee popped at 39 seconds of round three.

Top welterweight contender “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-3) easily beat fourth-ranked Josh Koscheck (11-3) by unanimous decision. Scores were 30-27 twice and 29-28 once.

Fourth-ranked heavyweight “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1) was devastated by fellow Brazilian, but virtual unknown “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (7-1) via first-round TKO at 1:21.

Fifth-ranked lightweight “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (33-3-1) won a unanimous decision over Tyson Griffin (12-2) by judges’ scores of 29-28 twice and 30-27 once.

Thales Leites (14-1), “Bully” Gray Maynard (6-0), “King” Spencer Fisher (22-4), Dan Miller (10-1), “Drago” Pete Sell (8-4), and Hermes Franca (19-7) were all winners inside the Octagon.

Read More About UFC 90: Anderson Silva Wins Via Cote Injury, Alves Clinches Title Fight…

Fighters.com’s Lightweight Champion “Prodigy” B.J. Penn’s (13-4-1) three-fight run at lightweight will end in Las Vegas 31 January when Penn returns to welterweight to fight Fighters.com’s Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (17-2) for the UFC welterweight title.

Why?

(Well, besides the obvious jack the UFC stands to profit on the main event.)

But, UFC President Dana White himself has claimed Penn’s best weight class is 155 pounds; and, Penn made much ballyhoo about getting serious and slimming down to 155 pounds, his natural fighting weight.

Penn has never fought above 155 with a physique that could be described as anything but “pudgy”.

Penn is also 0-2 in his last two 170-pound fights in the Octagon, which must make UFC welterweight contenders wonder if they can get some Vaseline.

In Saitama, north of Tokyo, 24 August, top lightweight contender “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3) won a unanimous decision versus tough, but relatively unknown Korean champ Seung Hwan Bang (5-2).

Read More About Fighters.com’s September Lightweight Rankings…

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked lightweight “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (32-3-1) will return in Chicago 25 October to fight Tyson Griffin (12-1).

Sherk was TKO’d by Fighters.com’s Lightweight Champion “Prodigy” B.J. Penn (13-4-1) at the end of three rounds in Las Vegas 24 May in Sherk’s challenge for the title he was stripped of after testing positive for banned substances.

Sherk denies using banned substances.

Griffin has peeled off four consecutive decision victories, most recently versus “Maximus” Marcus Aurelio (16-6) in Las Vegas 5 July in which Griffin demoed his consistently improving striking.

Griffin told Sherdog, “I’d like to stand out of his range and pick him apart like B.J. [Penn]”

From TUF to top!

New UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) demoralized and upset former Champ “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6) by unanimous decision Saturday night in Las Vegas.

“This is the greatest night of my life,” Griffin said after toppling the odds.

Though Jackson won the first round by staggering Griffin with a left, then dropping the challenger with a right uppercut, Griffin laid the groundwork for his decision victory by whittling away at Jackson’s lead leg with low kicks.

“He jacked my leg up,” Jackson admitted.

In the second round, Griffin buckled the champ with a leg kick and passed to mount on the mat, grinding elbows into Rampage’s head, but doing little damage.

Rampage limped into round three searching for a knockout, but managed only a combination that Griffin weathered, though he admitted, “Every punch that motherfucker threw hurt.”

Jackson scored a fourth-round takedown; but, Griffin wrapped a leg triangle, then transitioned to an omoplata when Jackson freed himself from the triangle.

Jackson stood out of the submission and cracked Griffin with a right hand, opening a cut on the challenger’s right eyelid, then followed with a left as the bell ended the round.

It was back-and-forth and both fighters felt they needed the final round to win; but, Jackson seemed disappointed by the situation, while Griffin was inspired.

Griffin got back to game plan in the fifth round, stinging Rampage’s lead leg, as Jackson threw desperate haymakers without landing.

The judges scored the fight 48-46 twice and 49-46 once for Griffin. Fighters.com scored it 48-46 for Griffin, our new champion.

“He whupped my ass,” Jackson admitted after the battle; but, Griffin said, “It was close and I think we’re gonna have to do it again.”

Read More About From TUF to Top: Griffin Upsets Rampage…

“For all you Rampage haters, you might as well get used to me,” Fighters.com’s Light Heavyweight Champion “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-6) announced to the crowd at the UFC 86 weigh-ins in Las Vegas Friday.  “I’ma be here for a long time,” he added, then flashed the peace sign.

Rampage weighed in at 205-pounds, as did eighth-ranked title challenger Forrest Griffin (15-4).

Xtreme Couture’s Griffin said, “It’s nice to fight in your hometown.  Thank you, guys.”

Griffin smirked in the gaze of an intense Rampage stare down.

All fighters on Saturday night’s card made weight.

Only lightweight Gleison Tibau (15-5) missed the mark, but by the allowed one pound at 156-pounds.  Tibau will fight “Daddy” Joe Stevenson (33-8).

6′4″ lightweight Corey Hill (2-0) looked absolutely emaciated at 155-pounds.

Read More About UFC 86 Weights From Sin City…