DellaGrotte Breaks Down Silva-Griffin

Mark DellaGrotte has emerged as one of the premier trainers in mixed martial arts. His star pupil, Kenny Florian, takes on B.J. Penn in the UFC 101 main event, but DellaGrotte is also looking forward to the 205-pound matchup between Anderson Silva and Forrest Griffin. Sherdog.com caught up with him in Philadelphia for a quick breakdown:

“I think if there’s one person that can make Anderson fight the way we want to see Anderson fight, it’s Forrest Griffin,” DellaGrotte said. “I don’t think you can get in there and keep a game plan together too long with somebody like Forrest coming at you. He’s going to push the pace. At 205, it’s an interesting matchup. A lot of people think that because it’s at 205, Forrest automatically has the advantage. But a lot of people don’t realize that Anderson’s a big guy. He’s a big 205 as well.”

Griffin’s punishing leg kicks helped him take Quinton Jackson’s UFC light heavyweight title in July 2008, but DellaGrotte doesn’t think striking from range would work well against Silva.

“I don’t think anybody would be smart actually staying on the outside and moving around and dancing with Anderson Silva,” DellaGrotte said. “I think his accuracy, his timing, his rhythm, his reflexes -- all these attributes make him the fighter he is. … I think the key to victory for Forrest is to get on the inside, make it a dirty fight, bust him up, be able to take Anderson down and control him on the ground.”