Forrest Griffin Wants Liddell Next & Talks Anderson Silva

Texasboyballin · 09-06-2008, 10:58 AM

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ATLANTA -- At least one prominent spectator will have a vested interest in the main event bout pairing Chuck Liddell with Rashad Evans at UFC 88 “Breakthrough” on Saturday at Philips Arena. Forrest Griffin (Pictures) believes the winner could be next in line for a shot at his light heavyweight championship.

“I think we’ll know Sunday [who I’ll defend the title against],” Griffin said.

A prohibitive favorite against the unbeaten Evans, Liddell looked rejuvenated in his rousing unanimous decision victory over Brazilian legend Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) in December and appears fully recovered from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for much of 2008. A high-profile bout between Griffin and Liddell, provided he defeats Evans, would likely draw enormous interest from the buying public.

“Everybody at this level is really good, but so many guys don’t have huge names,” Griffin said. “For me, it’s easier to get up for a huge fight like that. In a fight like that, I’d go out and do the best I can, and if I lose, oh well. I don’t want to say I want Chuck to win, but it would probably be better for me if he did. OK, I want Chuck Liddell to win. There, I said it. I’m a fan, too.”

Griffin (16-4) legitimized his standing as one of the world’s best at 205 pounds in July when he upset Quinton “Rampage” Jackson -- the only man to topple Liddell twice -- by unanimous decision at UFC 86 and captured the promotion’s light heavyweight crown.

“I realized at that point things were never going to get better for me; that was really the apex of my life,” Griffin said, tongue planted firmly in cheek. “It feels good to win fights. Losing feels so bad; that’s why I want to win.”

Based out of Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts in Las Vegas, Griffin has reeled off three straight victories -- a rear naked choke submission against Brazilian superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua included -- since his TKO loss to Keith Jardine (Pictures) in December 2006. While Griffin wants to atone for his loss to Jardine at some point, the stars have not yet aligned for the rematch. Jardine lasted just 36 seconds against Silva in May, interrupting his climb up the light heavyweight ladder.

“He’s not doing so well right now, but in a few years, our roles could be reversed,” Griffin said. “Things change quickly in this sport.”

Perched atop the UFC’s deepest division, Griffin has a long list of potential challengers through which to navigate. Aside from an eventual match with Liddell, Griffin might also have to contend with the undefeated Lyoto Machida (Pictures) or Team Quest juggernaut Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) in the near future. Rematches with Jackson and Rua remain possibilities, as well.

“There’s no shortage of work,” Griffin said.

Whispers have also begun to surface about an eventual showdown with reigning middleweight king Anderson Silva (Pictures), who seems more than willing to bounce between two weight classes.

“I’d fight him,” Griffin said. “I can’t possibly do any worse than the guys he’s been fighting. I’d last more than two minutes with him.”

Source:
Forrest Griffin Wants Liddell Next & Talks Anderson Silva

TapOut27 · 09-06-2008, 11:23 AM

I don't know if he would last more than 2 minutes, he would have to implore his machida style he did against hecter.

JimG · 09-06-2008, 11:38 AM

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Originally Posted by TapOut27

I don't know if he would last more than 2 minutes, he would have to implore his machida style he did against hecter.

I think he'd definitely last more than 2 minutes, he did go 5 rounds against Rampage and he beat Shogun.

dudefella · 09-06-2008, 11:41 AM

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Originally Posted by JimG

I think he'd definitely last more than 2 minutes, he did go 5 rounds against Rampage and he beat Shogun.

Yeah, but Anderson hasn't had a fight go past the 2nd round in years.. I think he'd last more than 2 minutes, but unless he shows up in a track suite, no way he makes it to a decision.

Terrance · 09-06-2008, 12:07 PM

Forrest better be prepared for anybody as he will. And yea, he'd last more than 2 minutes with Anderson, but he'll have a chance at beating him if he even made it past two rounds with him, which is even hard to at least be likely. He better train his ass off on some muay thai for scenarios like that.

BigBanda · 09-06-2008, 12:10 PM

lol Forrest always cracks me up. If I were Forrest I'd want Chuck to win too. I mean come on would you rather want to be on a ppv vs Rashad or Chuck. It's a no brainer.

Anyways I hope it happens too and think it would be a great fight. Ultimately I think Chuck rocks him somewhere throughout the fight considering Jardine was able to knock Forrest on his ass. No that is not MMA math, it's fact, so dont start lol.

ckauffman28 · 09-06-2008, 12:13 PM

yeah i feel evans/lidell will get the shot at forrest in dec

racerat · 09-06-2008, 12:14 PM

I think Forrest against either Chuck or Anderson would be a great fight, but I believe he would have a better shot of beating Chuck than Anderson. Silva is simply just in a class of his own right now.