Las Vegas, NV — It’s not lost on welterweight Max Griffin that he’s fighting a fan favorite, Carlos Condit, on a Conor McGregor card this weekend.
UFC 264 sees Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier throw down in their rubber match, and Griffin (17-8) is excited to be part of it.
“I’m always excited to be here, especially on these kind of cards,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press during the UFC 264 media day on Wednesday. “And then the Conor-Poirier card is the biggest card of the year with the fans. Yeah, I’m excited. Very excited.”
Asked about his pick in the main event, Griffin gave his take. “I really don’t think that first fight six years ago really means anything. Especially with [McGregor] trying to get into his head. And Conor really— Poirier even mentioned, he did get into his head and kind of took him off base. But the way Conor lost this last time, I mean, he had good moments in the beginning, but it was like a beatdown at the end of that fight.”
Griffin sees McGregor trying to get into Poirier’s head again. “Usually when someone keeps trying to knock on that door, they’re a little insecure about what happened. I’ve never been beaten down like that. I’m sure if you get a rematch with a guy that just beat you down, that’s got to mean for something, that this guy could beat you down again. So I’ve got Poirier.”
Max “Pain” has seen his own career take flight of late, finally putting two wins together after a string of mostly strong performances that judges simply didn’t seem to like. Getting those wins, “it gives me that confidence, it gives that confidence and I’ve really found my juice,” said Griffin. “I really found my recipe, about being authentic, having a good time, and it shows. Taking Ramiz’s ear, the first time, I had a good time, and then what I just did to Song Kenan in March, I even had a better time. For me, it’s like ‘hey, you need to have more good times.’ And I’m going to have a blast in three days.”
For those who missed Griffin “taking” Ramiz Brahimaj’s ear, well, here you go.
While not about to call any names out before his fight with Condit, Griffin does feel like a ranked opponent will come with a win this Saturday. “I’ve got nothing to prove anymore, but I feel like it’s just going to happen. I feel like after I get this victory, the fans are going to demand a top 15 guy. They’re going to demand it.”
Watch the full UFC 264 media day scrum with Max Griffin above. The event takes place this Saturday, July 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
