Call
Forrest Griffin a team player.
The former light heavyweight champion was on his honeymoon when he got the call with an offer to rematch
Tito Ortiz at
UFC 106 on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
But Griffin, who lost a close split decision to Ortiz at UFC 59 in May 2006, knew an opportunity when he saw one.
“Yeah, I was coming down the mountain from my honeymoon and (Dana White) said, ‘You’re fighting Tito, and I said, ‘Well, it’s December 12. Give me a little more time (to decide),’” said Griffin during a UFC conference call Friday. “They called me back the next day and he said it’s November 21, and I said, ‘It’s fine. Let’s do it.’ I cut my honeymoon short and just drove back and started training right then.”
In a year filled with highs and lows, Griffin has lost his last two UFC appearances.
Rashad Evans defeated Griffin with a third-round technical knockout at UFC 92 last December. In August, middleweight champion
Anderson Silva dismissed the “The Ultimate Fighter” winner with a first-round knockout. The second loss was particularly sobering for Griffin, who bypassed the after-fight interview and quickly exited the cage.
UFC President Dana White said the fast turnaround is the best thing Griffin can do.
“When these guys lose, you gotta get back on the horse,” said White. “Especially Forrest. Forrest is a really emotional guy and he didn’t take that loss easily. He wasn’t Forrest after that fight, so I think it’s better to jump right back in there then sit around and commiserate for however many months until you fight again.”
Griffin is grateful for the high-profile bout.
“I get to be a headline fight coming off of two losses and that’s a big deal for me right now,” said Griffin. “I want to be a headline fighter right now. I’ve come to accept that, that people are going to talk about you good and bad and that that’s a part of it. … I get to be in there for the last fight of the night and that’s really an honor.”
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