MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[Sakara=Excitement]

Despite losing skid, UFC 123 loser Tyson Griffin won't be cut from UFC roster | MMAjunkie.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Although once a top UFC lightweight contender, Tyson Griffin since has posted three consecutive losses.

The latest came Saturday on the untelevised preliminary card of UFC 123, where Griffin (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) suffered a controversial split-decision defeat to Nick Lentz (20-3-2 MMA, 4-0-1 UFC).

And though Griffin now has suffered a trio of defeats, UFC president Dana White said the Xtreme Couture fighter won't be cut from the organization's roster.

White knows MMA judging has its problems and continually cautions fighters not to leave their fate in the officials' hands, but he's adamant Griffin got a raw deal.

"Tyson Griffin got [expletive] big time tonight," White said.

The bout was far from a barnburner, and both fighters continually stalled working for takedowns. But Griffin appeared the aggressor despite the judges' 29-28, 27-30 and 29-28 scores in his opponent's favor.

Prior to his recent three-fight skid, which also include a split-decision defeat to top contender Evan Dunham and a flash knockout to Takanori Gomi, Griffin went 7-2 in his first nine UFC fights and picked up five "Fight of the Night" bonuses and a "Submission of the Night" award.

Those bonus checks don't get to boring fighters, and White said such competitors get longer leashes when determining who gets their walking papers and who gets televised spots.

"You know how I feel," White told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com). "I like guys who come in and fight. I'd rather keep a guy who lost a dogfight than keep a guy who ran around in circles for three rounds and won."

Damn Nick Lentz 4-0. Not too bad regardless if you like it or not.

[QOTSA420]

Where can I see this fight? I'm a big Griffin fan and I want to see how he looked coming off those losses. Shame he apparently got ripped off but I'll have to watch to decide.

As for Lentz, both he and Jon Madsen are 4-0 in the UFC yet no one really cares or has taken notice. Kind of strange.

[carbondioxide830]

tyson may wanna try droppin to 145...somethin needs to change. i understand it was a close fight last night, but damn, son, 3 in a row?/

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by carbondioxide830

tyson may wanna try droppin to 155...somethin needs to change. i understand it was a close fight last night, but damn, son, 3 in a row?/

145 you mean?

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by carbondioxide830

tyson may wanna try droppin to 155...somethin needs to change. i understand it was a close fight last night, but damn, son, 3 in a row?/

wait what?
You mean dropping to 145?

[carbondioxide830]

i certainly did mean 145 my bad...(its always 420 somewhere).

[pantomime horse]

I think he should drop to 145. I just don't see him having any advantages at 155 right now. Dropping down, I think, could put him in a position to start winning again.

[Rumble]

He use to fight at 145 and I think it's definitely a weight cut he could make, he still looks kind of heavy at 155. 145 would be a much better and natural weight class for him.

[QOTSA420]

I love how people assume just dropping a weight class solves all problems. Griffin use to fight at 145, but now he has said that he weighs as high as 180 when not in camp and his body cannot handle the cut anymore. Frankie Edgar is smaller than Tyson, yet he rag dolled him around and out worked him. Tyson is fine where he is he has just seemed not as hungry as of late.

Huge wieght cuts do not always provide a competitve edge. How have they worked out for Anthony Johnson and James Irvin? Hell Marcus Davis is dropping to 155 soon and despite being physically bigger he will still be old, slow, and hittable just like he was at 170.

[carbondioxide830]

i love how you assume that i assume that dropping weight would solve the problem. i said it may be a good idea...

then again, after thinking about it, it could POTENTIALLY solve a few problems...like his losing streak. the fact that he is sometimes undersized against people at 155 seems to be a problem too i suppose.