The MMA.tv Hit Me With Your Best Shot Series continues.
UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin was interviewed by RawVegas.tv vice president Eric Newby. Griffin, known for a unique, perhaps quirky sense of humor had a proposition – he offered to trade a kick for a question.
The kick in question broke Newby’s femur.
On June 16, 2007 Forrest defeated Hector Ramirez at UFC 72 in Belfast, Northern Ireland via unanimous decision, and set a new UFC for low kicks landed in three, five-minute rounds, with 38.
Imagine how Ramirez’s leg felt??!?
From becoming the first ever winner of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ in the best fight in UFC history, to capturing the UFC light heavyweight championship, to defeating legends Maurício ‘Shogun’ Rua and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in back to back fights, Forrest Griffin’s rise through the ranks was extraordinary.
Griffin’s MMA career started in 2001 in a baptism of fire, as he came up against now UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn in his first ever professional fight. Facing the likes of Jeff Monson, Chael Sonnen and Jeremy Horn in his first 10 fights, Griffin’s venture into MMA nearly ended prematurely two years after his debut, when he briefly retired from the sport following a fight with Edson Paredao in which is arm was broken, despite going on to win the fight by KO. It was left to UFC president Dana White to coax the then patrol officer out of the line of duty and into the first-ever season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, a decision which led to the most important fight in UFC history.
Moving his way through the competition and into the finale against fellow light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar, Griffin would spark a fire that saved the UFC from possible extinction, and inalterably introduced the sport of mixed martial arts to the American people.
Three rounds of pure amazement would follow as both men displayed a combination of great skill and heart in order claim the crown of the first ever ‘Ultimate Fighter’. UFC commentator Joe Rogan described the first round of the fight as the Hagler-Hearns of mixed martial arts” and Dana White hailed it as the “most important in UFC history.” Forrest picked up the unanimous decision victory after a gruelling 15 minutes. His never say die attitude and constant pressure would endear him to the growing fan base of the UFC as his career blossomed from then on.
Forrest went from strength to strength as he went on to beat the then #1 light–heavyweight ‘Shogun’ Rua by submission, and followed it up by beating Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson for the undisputed UFC light-heavyweight belt, thus solidifying himself as the best of the 205 pound division.
Griffin eventually lost his title to Rashad Evans, and retired after a unanimous decision Fight of the Night win on July 7, 2012. Griffin is now a member of the UFC Hall of Fame.
