Forrest Griffin takes turn as reluctant champion
Somewhere along the way, something changed for Forrest Griffin (16-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC).
The once-affable Southerner, who was as quick with a one-liner as he was with a punch earlier in his career, became even more interested in fighting and less concerned with much of the peripherals that go along with it.
By virtue of his epic "The Ultimate Fighter 1" finale fight against Stephan Bonnar, Griffin became an iconic fighter overnight and an instant fan favorite. The sight of the ol' grin on Griffin's face and blood trickling from the bridge of his nose following the fight showed his love for the sport and was one of the lasting moments of that April evening in Las Vegas in 2005.
Fans adored him, and they still do. Griffin, however, would rather focus exclusively on what he sees as the only two tasks that matter -- training and fighting.
"You know, it's crazy," Griffin said of his star status. "People do want a lot of your time. I don't leave the house if I can help it. I don't do a whole lot. I go to the gym and the grocery store and that’s about it."
Griffin is uninterested in talking about the significance of his barrier-breaking match with Bonnar or dethroning Quinton "Rampage" Jackson to win the UFC light-heavyweight title in July. And, for what it's worth, he couldn't care less about fighting around Christmas, because, "I don’t really like the holidays anyway."
From an observer's perspective, Griffin's demeanor and his interaction with the media are drastically different from a few years ago. His approach to MMA is much more serious now, which perhaps not coincidentally, has corresponded with his rise to the very top of the UFC’s showcase division.
Following his TKO loss to Keith Jardine two years ago, the 29-year-old Griffin has been on a 3-0 tear leading up to his first title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 92 on Saturday. Despite owning the belt, Griffin doesn't talk in terms of being a champion or defending the belt. Playing the role of the hunted is not something with which he’s comfortable.
"No not really," he said. "My expectation and my goal is always to win the next fight -- the fight in front of me."
Some fans might miss that quick-witted homespun fighter, who helped make the UFC water-cooler fodder back in his reality-show days. However, it's this more mature, more focused version of Griffin that enters the octagon Saturday night as a champion, albeit a reluctant one.
Somewhere along the way, something changed for Forrest Griffin (16-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC).
The once-affable Southerner, who was as quick with a one-liner as he was with a punch earlier in his career, became even more interested in fighting and less concerned with much of the peripherals that go along with it.
By virtue of his epic "The Ultimate Fighter 1" finale fight against Stephan Bonnar, Griffin became an iconic fighter overnight and an instant fan favorite. The sight of the ol' grin on Griffin's face and blood trickling from the bridge of his nose following the fight showed his love for the sport and was one of the lasting moments of that April evening in Las Vegas in 2005.
Fans adored him, and they still do. Griffin, however, would rather focus exclusively on what he sees as the only two tasks that matter -- training and fighting.
"You know, it's crazy," Griffin said of his star status. "People do want a lot of your time. I don't leave the house if I can help it. I don't do a whole lot. I go to the gym and the grocery store and that’s about it."
Griffin is uninterested in talking about the significance of his barrier-breaking match with Bonnar or dethroning Quinton "Rampage" Jackson to win the UFC light-heavyweight title in July. And, for what it's worth, he couldn't care less about fighting around Christmas, because, "I don’t really like the holidays anyway."
From an observer's perspective, Griffin's demeanor and his interaction with the media are drastically different from a few years ago. His approach to MMA is much more serious now, which perhaps not coincidentally, has corresponded with his rise to the very top of the UFC’s showcase division.
Following his TKO loss to Keith Jardine two years ago, the 29-year-old Griffin has been on a 3-0 tear leading up to his first title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 92 on Saturday. Despite owning the belt, Griffin doesn't talk in terms of being a champion or defending the belt. Playing the role of the hunted is not something with which he’s comfortable.
"No not really," he said. "My expectation and my goal is always to win the next fight -- the fight in front of me."
Some fans might miss that quick-witted homespun fighter, who helped make the UFC water-cooler fodder back in his reality-show days. However, it's this more mature, more focused version of Griffin that enters the octagon Saturday night as a champion, albeit a reluctant one.
