Griffin Nursing Knee Injury, Planning UFC Return at Featherweight

Mike WhitmanFeb 05, 2011
Tyson Griffin | Terry Goodlad/Sherdog.com



UFC lightweight staple Tyson Griffin will test the waters in a new division in 2011.

Griffin announced Saturday in a video posted on his official website that he will make the cut to 145 pounds when he returns to the Octagon later this year.

“I’ve been having some problems with my knee,” Griffin said. “I decided to get an MRI. They found some tears in my meniscus, so I decided to get that cleaned out. It’s going to be a few more weeks before I can put my knee to the test and make sure everything is good to go and commit to a fight.”

“Nobody wants to be back in the Octagon quicker than I do. I’ve got some big plans for 2011. Unfortunately, they are put on hold right now. Those plans are to move to 145 and make a run at that belt,” said Griffin.

Griffin has lost three straight contests, the first such stretch of his career. A five-time recipient of “Fight of the Night” honors, Griffin had won seven of his nine UFC bouts before dropping a split decision to Evan Dunham at UFC 115. The Xtreme Couture product was next knocked out for the first time in his career by the hard-hitting Takanori Gomi. Griffin’s most recent appearance in the cage resulted in a controversial split decision defeat to smothering wrestler Nik Lentz at UFC 123.