Forrest Griffin
Age: 30
Record: 16-5-0

Forrest Griffin’s claim to fame is his victory at the first Ultimate Fighter. While that was his calling ticket, his meal ticket was his win against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 86, which netted him the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

But that decision was highly controversial and considering he got knocked out badly by Rashad Evans in his next fight, there are still a lot of questions surround Griffin.

Griffin has won eight of his last 11 fights but his three losses have come against the elite fighters (Tito Ortiz, Keith Jardine and Evans). That doesn’t even include his should-be loss to Jackson. Now Griffin steps up the level of competition one more time in what really could be one of his last card-headlining bouts, if he fails to win.

Fight With Anderson Silva At UFC 101

The odds don’t favor Griffin, that’s for sure. Not only metaphorically speaking but also on the actual odds, Griffin is the biggest underdog at UFC 101.

While he’ll have a size advantage, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll have any more advantages than that. Silva will be moving up 20 pounds for this fight but that likely won’t change his style too much.

Griffin will be coming forward aggressively the entire fight but that figures to play into Silva’s hands. He likes to be a reactionary fighter and it’s actually for that reason that his last couple of fights have been boring. Against the fighters that choose to attack him, Silva typically uses his speed and uncanny striking power to knock them out.

Griffin has heart but unfortunately intangibles like heart, courage and determination are better for Care Bears episodes. In a fight against the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, Griffin’s skills just don’t match up.

After UFC 101

Griffin is a fan favorite but his popularity is starting to fade a little. With another lopsided loss like his one to Evans, fans won’t be cheering his name as loudly.

Starting on the positive side of things, if Griffin were to win, he would definitely derail the Silva-George St. Pierre train and would likely have to give Silva another shot.

But the likely story is that Griffin loses and faces one of the second-tier light heavyweights in his next bout, like maybe Vitor Belfort.