Forrest Griffin News
News
-
April 27, 2009
Forrest to Fight Anderson Silva at UFC 101
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White made good on his promise to land a significant fight for suddenly under siege middleweight champion Anderson Silva, telling Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that he had signed a deal for Silva to face ex-light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of UFC 101 in Philadelphia on Aug. 2.
White wanted to find a fighter who would challenge Silva, winner of a UFC record nine consecutive fights, and believes he’s done it by signing Griffin.
“Forrest loved the idea and said he’d do it right away, and Anderson told me he would fight anyone I wanted him to fight, no matter who it is,” White said. “So we got the deal.”
Silva’s manager, Ed Soares, said the champion is excited by the opportunity to face Griffin, who took the light heavyweight title from Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in July, but lost it in December to Rashad Evans.
He said Griffin has a complete game and has a big name, which makes the fight more interesting to Silva.
“It’s a great fight for him and he’s anxious and excited about it,” Soares said. “Forrest is a bigger, stronger guy with a lot of cardio and he’s the full package. The other thing Anderson likes about it is that Forrest is a big-name with a huge heart and is a fan favorite kind of a guy. That’s the kind of match that makes a legendary kind of a fight and that’s what Anderson wants.”
Source: Yahoo Sports
