Ht/Wt: 5’6/155 lbs.
Age: 35
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
Fighting out of: Oak Grove, Minn.
Record: 32-3-1
The stakes: Back in familiar waters after losing his UFC lightweight title to B.J. Penn, “The Muscle Shark” must now play the role of contender if he wants that title to make its way back to him. Regarded by some as one of the UFC’s answers to Nyquil, Sherk needs to start going for the finish and getting the fans back on his side. The only other option is becoming another ground-and-pound artist who only bothers with the ground part of the equation.
The breakdown: Known for having a shot that runs on jet fuel, Sherk learned a stiff lesson against Penn when he ditched the usual game plan to test out his unproven striking. That is not a mistake Sherk can afford to make again, and against Griffin loading up on his shot and getting past the guard will be the sure path to a win. We all know Sherk can pass the guard -- he made Hermes Franca’s guard look like a broken turnstile -- but what he needs to prove is that he can do something with those dominant positions.
Griffin Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 5’6/155 lbs.
Age: 24
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.,
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, Nev.
Record: 12-1
The stakes: A lightweight dynamo known for putting on “Fight of the Night” worthy scraps, Griffin may have the good will of the fans but he has yet to turn that into a title shot. A win over the division’s former champion would separate Griffin from the pack and turn him into the kind of bankable commodity the UFC is in search of.
The breakdown: While Griffin has the wrestling to stifle most, he’ll have to rely on his offensive versatility against Sherk, who likely has a comfortable edge when takedown time comes around. For Griffin, that means getting in his licks on the feet and using the underrated jiu-jitsu skills that have flown under the radar of most observers but could well be the difference in this fight.
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The bottom line: As much as the thought of Joe Rogan gushing over Griffin’s ginormous glutes makes me wish for a Griffin win, Sherk isn’t likely to turn over a new leaf after nine years of workmanlike ground control played on an infinite loop. Expect this bout to quickly turn into an excitement vacuum as Sherk takes a decision built around keeping Jeff Blatnick pleased.