Max Griffin said he was “blessed” to be in a big fight on the UFC Orlando main card, and he made the most of it on Saturday against Mike Perry.
Opening up the main card on FOX at UFC Orlando Saturday were Mike Perry and Max Griffin. ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry and Max ‘Pain’ Griffin were both looking to bounce back from recent losses; both were also capable of sheer violence in the cage. That made Perry vs. Griffin an early favorite for Fight of the Night. In short it was a fight full of potential.
Did it live up to the hype? You betcha!
The crowd began chanting ‘Perry, Perry’ to start, but it was Griffin coming forward early. It was Girffin who drew first blood, opening up a cut on the upper forehead of Perry with a right hand. Max ‘Pain’ worked his jab, and it was Perry grabbing on to his opponent with a body lock, looking for a takedown. Griffin fought him off, and back in the middle launched a leg kick that nearly tripped Perry up. Griffin stayed moving constantly, and used head movement to duck out of the way of Perry’s strikes. Perry, however, seemed to settle down as the round wore on. Late in the round, Perry fanned on a kick which allowed Griffin to take him down. However in a scramble, Perry took the back. He got both hooks in, then reversed and mounted, but couldn’t make anything happen before the bell sounded.
Round two saw Perry hurt with a right hand early; Griffin clipped Perry with another right moments later as Perry tried to close the distance. Perry then went on the offensive, firing off a combo while pressing forward. Things settled down a little as the round wore on, with Griffin keeping ‘Platinum’ at a distance. Then in the final minute of the second, Griffin dropped Perry with a big right! Perry went down hard, Griffin went in for the kill but Perry gutted it out and held on, as Griffin couldn’t find space to finish him. Back on the feet Perry was bloodied as Griffin threw another volley, lighting Perry up all the way to the bell.
The third started off where round two ended, and Perry came back with a big right hand of his own that Griffin definitely felt. Perry then went for a takedown, and worked to take his opponent’s back. Griffin fought him off, and tried to do the same. The pair stayed on the feet, however, and Griffin returned to attacking the lead leg of his foe. Perry then scored with a left, and a big right, putting Griffin on his heels. ‘Platinum’ tried to goad Griffin into rushing in, but Griffin wisely ignored the ruse. Perry came in with a head kick in the final minute, and was swinging for the fences, looking for a finish. Perry landed a big right hand; Griffin tied him up. Perry worked for a takedown in the fight’s dying moments, a puzzling move given he needed a finish. As expected, the judges saw it for Max ‘Pain’ Griffin. Without question, he picked up the biggest win of his career in Orlando.
Max Griffin def. Mike Perry by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-27)
