Griffin Acknowledges Pressure, Ring Rust Ahead of Franklin Bout

Forrest Griffin | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Forrest Griffin has been away from the fight game for longer than he ever has before.

On Saturday, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion will step into the cage for the first time in over a year to take on fellow ex-champ Rich Franklin at UFC 126. Last week, Griffin spoke to the media via conference call regarding his co-main event contest at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

“Being off for a year, that’s a weird feeling. I’m a little more nervous than usual. During this year, I’ve had some spurts of really good training when I thought I was going to fight,” said Griffin. “The big thing will just be that first minute, making that adjustment, getting back in there. This is the longest break I’ve ever had from fighting, so it’s weird.”

UFC 126 has a fight bill filled with talent on both the main and preliminary cards. When asked if he felt more pressure in co-headlining the stacked event after sitting on the shelf for so long, the ever-candid Griffin delivered a predictably honest reply.

“Yes, it does [feel like there is more pressure],” said Griffin. “If you look at the way Rich fights and you look at the way I fight, the makings for a great fight are there. You just hope that it comes together and it’s the fight that you think it can be, you know? ”

After avenging a loss to Tito Ortiz in the main event of UFC 106, Griffin was slated to return to the Octagon against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 114. A recurring shoulder injury forced Griffin to withdraw, however, and surgery was required. But even while sitting on the sideline, the Xtreme Couture product found ways to stay active.

“I was able to do some basic stuff. You never let the body just lie dormant. [I did some] hiking, physical stuff that wasn’t fight-related. I thought my shoulder was fine after eight weeks, but it wasn’t, so I had to take another three to four weeks off,” said Griffin.

While Griffin entered his bout with Mauricio Rua at UFC 76 with the injury, that setback did not prevent him from submitting the heavily favored “Shogun.” The dry-humored 31-year-old made light of the periodic problems inherent with such an injury.

“I [initially] hurt the shoulder in 2006. I had surgery on it and that gave me about two good years. So, that’s the plan. About every two years, I’ll just have surgery on it,” Griffin chuckled.

Though the layoff has provided the fighter with some mental relief from the grind of fighting for a living, he asserts that some negatives have also come with the sabbatical.

“Well, it sucks [not being able to train],” said Griffin. “It’s nice to get to do other things and not really worry about fighting. ... It’s mentally refreshing, but physically, even though a break every now and then is good for your body, it was too long without competing. This is the most ring rust I’ve ever had. I’m not excited about it. I’m definitely going to fight more.”

During his time on the shelf, Griffin has been forced to watch his peers suffer the triumphs and failures that come with fighting in the world’s largest MMA organization. These are the times when Griffin’s desire to compete surfaces most strongly.

“Usually during the fight weekends is really the only time [it's difficult to be out], you know? When the fights are on, I feel like I should be [out there competing],” said Griffin. “The biggest thing is that I’m not getting any younger. I’m kind of in the prime of my career, and I’d really like to get some fights in.”

So what is the original “Ultimate Fighter” looking forward to the most in returning to the Octagon?

“[I’m excited for] that feeling when everything starts clicking. It kind of feels like home.”

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As Date with Belfort Approaches, Silva Feels No Extra Pressure

Anderson Silva (left) | Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog.com

When fans last saw UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the Octagon, he was snatching victory from certain defeat against a game Chael Sonnen at UFC 117.

Silva will defend his title for the eighth time when he takes on former light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort in the UFC 126 main event this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Many view Belfort as Silva’s most difficult style matchup to date. A powerful boxer with blinding hand speed, Belfort may be the only man in the division capable of standing with the longtime champion. However, when asked if he was feeling any added pressure for the bout during a Jan. 27 pre-fight teleconference, Silva calmly assured everyone he was doing just fine.

“I just checked my blood pressure, and everything is normal,” said a chuckling Silva. “I’ve made a few adjustments, but I’ve been on pretty much the same track. I’ve been maintaining what I always do. It’s a very intense training camp. Of course, I’m always working to improve. I’ve kept the intensity throughout [my camp], and I’m going to go out there and do what I have trained to do.”

A dominant striker with laser-like accuracy in his punches and kicks, Silva is still considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The Black House product has put together a truly memorable run since joining the UFC in 2006, rattling off a record 12 consecutive victories inside the Octagon. In his last defense, however, the champion looked to be all but done for. Competing with an injury, Silva was taken down repeatedly and battered by Sonnen for nearly five full rounds before securing a fight-ending triangle choke to save his title and keep his streak alive.

“[Silva] had a bruised rib, which happened a week before fight. The doctor recommended that he pull out, but Anderson said the show must go on and fought through the injury,” said Silva’s manager and translator, Ed Soares. “He took a good six to eight weeks off to let it heal before he started training regularly again. If you’ve ever injured a rib, you know how hard it is to breathe. It’s very painful.”

During Silva’s dominant run with the promotion, he has also competed outside of the middleweight division, finding great success at 205 pounds. With a rumored super fight with welterweight king and fellow pound-for-pound luminary Georges St. Pierre labeled a possibility by UFC President Dana White, Silva further hinted at his openness to competing outside his division.

“There are a lot of challenges in every weight category in the UFC, not just in the middleweight division,” he said. “I’m doing what I’m doing because I love doing it. I am well-trained. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. I feel very natural.”

In that vein, Silva claims that all the benefits that come with being a UFC champion are not what motivate him to compete. Rather, the champion’s drive comes from his closest relationships.

“I’m not doing this for the fame, the money or the belt. I’m doing it because I’m happy to have the people around me that I have. I believe the people close to me are not close to me because of the fame or money,” said Silva. “They are with me because they care about me, and that makes me happy to go put on a good performance.”

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With Pressure Off, Hughes Having Fun in Cage

Matt Hughes (right): Fernando Allende/NY Post/Splash

Following a dominant victory over Ricardo Almeida at UFC 117 in August, former two-time UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes planned to separate himself from the cage to spend time with his family and to film a hunting show for the Outdoor Channel.

Then he got a call from UFC president Dana White.

White knew that Hughes' obligation to his new show ran through the fall and into the spring, and that the 37-year-old had already fought twice in 2010. It was no surprise that Hughes was initially hesitant to fight again on short notice.

“Matt Hughes doesn't turn down fights,” said White. “So when I called him and he said he had a full schedule, I told him [his opponent] was B.J. Penn. He said, 'I'll call you back. Let me clear my schedule.'”

Hughes will face Penn in the co-main event of UFC 123 on Nov. 20 from the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich. The UFC hall of famer is riding a three-fight win streak heading into the rubber match with Penn.

The pair met twice previously, with Penn dominating the first matchup as a heavy underdog at UFC 46. The rematch at UFC 63 was owned by Hughes, who weathered early offense by “The Prodigy” to finish the fight in round three. Hughes believes this third fight holds a special significance for both men.

“When B.J. was brought up, I felt that I needed to take the fight. We're 1-1 and we need to see who takes this last match.,” said Hughes. “There's added motivation here. If I lose this fight with B.J., it's like losing three fights. If I win, it's like winning three, so there is a lot on the line for this 15 minutes. “

Nonetheless, Hughes claims that on the whole, pressure has decreased for him as a fighter at this stage in his career.

“Cutting the pressure out has made it a lot more fun. All in all I’m just having a great experience when it comes to fighting. I’m going out there to win and to have fun as opposed to fighting not to lose,” he said.

The H.I.T. Squad founder asserts that with the welterweight title that he defended so many times no longer at the forefront of his mind, much of the stress associated with fighting has evaporated. After suffering back-to-back losses for only the second time in his 52-fight career, the two-time NCAA All American decided to make some adjustments.

“I changed my training camp up and got around more positive people. I also got a lot of support from my wife. Put it all together and it really cut the pressure,” said Hughes. “I’ve been doing a lot of my training in Salt Lake City. Jeremy Horn has really good grapplers out there. I like to mix it up -- because of the elevation and also [my boxing coach] Matt Pena is out there. I can get away from the family and focus on the fight.”

After grinding out a unanimous decision over former “Ultimate Fighter” nemesis Matt Serra at UFC 98 in May 2009, the former champion took nearly a year off before returning against Renzo Gracie at UFC 112, out-striking the Brazilian en route to a third-round TKO. Just four months later, Hughes choked Gracie's protégé Ricardo Almeida unconscious with a front headlock choke at UFC 117. The back-to-back victories mark the shortest span between fights for Hughes since 2006.

“I’m liking the activity. In the past, I’ve taken a long time off between fights. This year has been good for me because I’ve stayed in shape,” said Hughes. “I don't spar every week if I don't have a fight coming up. At 37, I have to slow down and train a little smarter as opposed to training harder.”

Though the title is no longer Hughes' primary concern, that's not to say that a run at the strap is completely out of the question. Nevertheless, the two-time champion says he is comfortable with his place in history.

“If Dana comes to me and says they want me to make a run at the title, then that's fine. When presented with a title shot, I think anyone would jump at it,” said Hughes. “But the way I see it, I’m set. I’ve never been a guy to chase the record books. I’m just looking to have a good time and compete. When [my career is over], I’m sure I'll miss it. But when I retire, I don't think it'll be because I don't like competing. It will be because my heart and mind aren't in it.”

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