Griffin Moves at 145 Against Gamburyan at UFC Live 4
Mike Whitman Apr 5, 2011
Tyson Griffin will make his Octagon featherweight debut at UFC
Live 4. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
When Tyson Griffin proclaimed in an online video that he would be making the cut to featherweight, it wasn't an empty promise.
UFC officials today announced that the longtime lightweight competitor will make his Octagon debut at 145 pounds against former WEC title challenger Manny Gamburyan at June 26’s UFC Live 4.
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After winning six of seven fights in the UFC's lightweight division from 2007 to 2009, Griffin has lost three straight. Griffin first fell by split decision to prospect Evan Dunham at UFC 115 and followed that loss with a brutal, one-punch knockout defeat at the hands of Takanori Gomi 10 months later at UFC Live 2.
Most recently, the Xtreme Couture product found himself on the losing end of a controversial split decision loss to Minnesota Martial Arts Academy standout Nik Lentz at UFC 123 in November.
A lightweight finalist on “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” Gamburyan has found success since making the cut to featherweight in 2009. Following back-to-back defeats inside the Octagon to Robert Emerson and Thiago Tavares, “The Anvil” ran off three-straight wins in the WEC, besting John Franchi, Leonard Garcia and former champion Mike Thomas Brown, en route to a title shot against dominant champion Jose Aldo. Unfortunately for the judo specialist, his chance at the gold was obliterated by “Junior,” as the Brazilian earned a second-round knockout to retain his belt.
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