5 Defining Moments: Max Griffin

Max Griffin has never been better.

The 37-year-old Dave Marinoble protégé will once again don his gatekeeper hat for the Ultimate Fighting Championship when he locks horns with the undefeated Michael Morales in a UFC on ESPN 48 welterweight feature this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Griffin has won four of his past five bouts and shows no signs of slowing down in his late 30s. He last appeared at UFC Fight Night 213, where he put himself on the right side of a split decision against Tim Means in their three-round encounter on Oct. 29.

As Griffin moves ever closer to his looming battle with Morales at 170 pounds, a look at five of the many moments that have come to define him:

1. An Abbreviated Reign

Chidi Njokuani weathered protracted exchanges in the clinch, survived takedowns, let fly with a series of body kicks and banked a split decision over Griffin, as he became the Tachi Palace Fights welterweight champion in the TPF 23 headliner on May 7, 2015 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California. All three judges saw it 49-46, two of them siding with Njokuani. Griffin seemed content to operate in close quarters while shooting for an occasional takedown. Njokuani stayed patient, waited for better distance and did not waste opportunities when he got them. The younger brother of Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting vet Anthony Njokuani, he cracked Griffin with more than one body kick that might have felled lesser men. Griffin—who had captured the title with a one-punch knockout of Ricky Legere Jr. six months earlier—called upon his considerable fortitude to withstand those attacks but failed to curry enough favor with two of the three judges.

2. Rude Welcome

Two-time NCAA All-American Colby Covington disposed of Griffin with punches in the third round of their UFC 202 welterweight prelim on Aug. 20, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The organizational newcomer succumbed to blows 2:18 into Round 3. Covington overwhelmed the former West Coast Fighting Championship and Tachi Palace Fights titleholder with technical superiority. He executed multiple takedowns in all three rounds and navigated the Griffin guard with ease. Covington was particularly dominant in round two, where he achieved full mount twice and assaulted the Californian with ground-and-pound. He secured another takedown inside the first 30 seconds of the third round, moved to the top ride position and brought it to a close with a sustained burst of unanswered left hands to the head.

3. Burden of Proof

The resilient Griffin rebounded from his aforementioned loss to Covington and proved he could hang at the highest level when he put away “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” Season 2 winner Erick Montano with first-round punches as part of the UFC Fight Night 98 undercard on Nov. 5, 2016 at Mexico City Arena. Montano met his end a mere 54 seconds into Round 1. Griffin dazed the Bonebreakers Team standout with an overhand right, shoved him to the mat and swarmed with unanswered punches. Montano was unable to recover enough to sufficiently defend himself, necessitating the stoppage from referee Jerin Valel.

4. Necessary Toughness

Griffin registered one of the most significant victories of his career and did so as a modest underdog when he took a unanimous decision from Mike Perry in their UFC on Fox 28 welterweight showcase on Feb. 24, 2018 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Scores were 29-27, 29-27 and 30-27. Perry saw his unchained aggression counteracted by clean, efficient punching. Griffin opened multiple cuts on the Florida-based Michigan native and remained calm under unnerving pressure, playing the matador to Perry’s bull. He floored and nearly finished Perry in the second round, where he connected with a beautiful straight right-left hook combination. Once it became clear a stoppage was not in the offing, Griffin circled out of danger and returned to the approach that served him well throughout the fight. Perhaps sensing he was behind on points, a battered and bloodied Perry pressed the issue in the third round—and it almost paid off. He buzzed the tower with an overhand right, a left hook-right hook combination and a head kick, but those efforts were to no avail. Griffin staggered and backpedaled but managed to keep his head clear enough to ride out the decision.

5. Sending the Blitz

A determined and opportunistic Griffin chopped down Kenan Song with punches in the first round of their UFC on ESPN 21 welterweight co-main event on March 20, 2021 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Song, who entered the cage on the strength of back-to-back victories, checked out 2:20 into Round 1. Griffin blitzed the Phuket Top Team rep with early activity, settled into a rhythm after eating a few jabs and unleashed his hands. He backed up Song with a clubbing right, corralled him along the fence and cut loose with punches. Griffin uncorked hooks from both hands, burying his Chinese counterpart in a facedown heap. It resulted in a $50,000 bonus for “Performance of the Night.”