UFC Fight Night 18 Breakdown: The Main Card

Tyson Griffin vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Tyson Griffin Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 5’6/155 lbs.
Age: 24
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, Nev.
Team: Xtreme Couture
Record: 12-2

The Breakdown: Originally a ground-and-pound tank, Griffin has matured into a multifaceted fighter who excels at wearing opponents down from inside the pocket with leg kicks and body punches. Getting his striking and wrestling to pull a Marvel Team-Up will be key for Griffin and his redwood legs if he’s going to keep dos Anjos from turning this into a jiu-jitsu clinic.

Griffin has a strong history of handling jiu-jitsu impresarios such as Thiago Tavares and Gleison Tibau. Sticking to his tried and true strategy of stuffing takedowns and forcing opponents to fight on his terms is what Griffin needs to keep dos Anjos winless in the Octagon.

The X Factor: Although Griffin’s takedown defense is plenty good enough to keep this fight upright, dos Anjos won’t hesitate to pull guard if he has to. Griffin will need to resist the temptation to prove his worth on the ground, as dos Anjos has plenty of submission skins hanging on his wall.

Rafael dos Anjos Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 5’9/155 lbs.
Age: 24
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Team: Gracie Fusion
Record: 11-3

The Breakdown: After getting his jaw inverted by Jeremy Stephens at UFC 91, dos Anjos has hopefully learned his lesson about striking: don’t. If he is going to pull the upset, he’ll have to focus on getting Griffin on the mat and firing off submission attempts to keep him occupied.

Griffin has been drawn into mat battles before. Dos Anjos can capitalize on this by forcing the frenetic pace that Griffin used to be known for. To that end, the Brazilian should ditch the striking and get Griffin on the mat whether it be via takedown or guard pull. From there, dos Anjos will have his best chance of winning while avoiding Griffin’s soul-sapping striking.

The X Factor: While everyone remembers dos Anjos getting lobotomized in his UFC debut, few remember that it was his inability to close the deal on the mat that got him sent to bed early. Whatever time dos Anjos gets on the mat is time he’ll have to use wisely.

* * *

The Bottom Line: It may not be as exciting as watching a marathon of “ThunderCats,” but Griffin has the formula down pact for scorching jiu-jitsu converts like they’re Icarus. Unless dos Anjos has some All-Universe takedowns he’s been keeping undercover, he’ll join the rest of jiu-jitsu nation in Griffin’s trophy case.