Max Griffin Enters UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs Daukaus Riding The Best Momentum Of His Career And With The Best Opportunity Of His Career So Far.
Opportunities like the one that’s in front of Max Griffin don’t come along often - if ever.
As a streaking welterweight sitting just outside the rankings, Griffin expected to get a fight booked with a fighter in the bottom third of the top 15. What he got instead was a showdown with ninth-ranked Neil Magny.
Griffin couldn’t believe it. It’s so great that the California native couldn’t help but burst out into a little dance to celebrate.
“I’m here for a reason. I asked for number 15, 14, 13 from Sean Shelby and he gave me number nine,” Griffin pauses to dance before continuing. “I’m excited. They need some fresh blood in the top ten. They’ve had the same guys, even him.”
When it comes to Magny, Griffin is very familiar with what he brings to the table. He competed with the Coloradan on The Ultimate Fighter season 16 and has followed his career ever since. He’s watched Magny go on runs of his own and defeat some of the best welterweights to ever strap on UFC gloves.
But “Pain” believes it’s time for him to take the place of his former castmate.
Max Griffin punches Song Kenan of China in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 20, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“[Magny] been around, he’s been lingering in the Top 8, the Top 10 spot for years,” Griffin told UFC.com. “I feel like the whole time he’s been there, he’s been at that spot. I don’t want to say stagnant but just sitting there. He hasn’t fought for a title…I’m that fresh blood. It’s going to be his blood, but that’s my spot.”
Griffin’s confidence stems from three straight incredible performances against Ramiz Brahimaj, Kenan Song and Carlos Condit. The main difference that Griffin experienced in those three fights that he didn’t in his previous nine, was that he was having fun.
“These last three fights, the first fight I fought Ramiz Brahimaj and that’s the first time that I ever had fun in the fight, consciously. Then after that we’ve just been running,” Griffin said. “Knockout of Kenan Song and then I just beat Carlos Condit and retired him. We’re making magic right now.”
That subtle change has made all the difference in how he’s handling the danger of being locked in combat with another man. And it’s made Griffin a force to be reckoned with.
Max Griffin Gets A First Round Knockout | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Holland
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Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
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Max Griffin Gets A First Round Knockout | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Holland
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“I needed to have fun, to be excited to be here and be authentic. Me being authentic is how I act now, not all stiff and stressed when I’m in the cage,” Griffin said. “It’s a weird feeling to be excited in danger. You’re like basking in the danger rather than stressing.”
Even though it would have been nice to go on this type of a run earlier in his career, Griffin wouldn’t change a thing about his journey. He believes he needed the struggles to teach him to feel the right emotions when he’s in the Octagon and transform stress into positive energy.
“We’re all so good at this level, we’re the best on the planet. Everyone thinks that they are going to win, and everyone needs to figure out what they need to do for themselves,” Griffin said. “For me, I needed to start being excited. We have so much pressure to win. You have your career on the line, your money, your job, the whole nine. The pressure to win, you lose, you’ll get cut. It’s hard.”
Max Griffin prepares to fight Alex 'Cowboy' Oliveira of Brazil in their welterweight fight during the UFC 248 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
But now that he’s pushed through the growing pains of finding himself both physically and mentally, he sees UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs Daukaus as his ultimate opportunity.
All that’s left for him to do is seize the day.
“At this mentality right now, I’m going to beat everybody. Everybody is beatable to me. It’s him next and then I’m going to keep going until I get to that title,” Griffin said. “The 26th will be my greatest performance to date. I keep having better and better performances and this is going to be the best.”
“It’s my time. Top 10 and then the world is mine.”
