Victor Valenzuela made his octagon debut Saturday, drawing a tough first text in veteran welterweight Max “Pain” Griffin.
Chile’s Valenzuela had suffered a loss on the Contender Series last year, but bounced back with a regional scene victory in March, earning himself a spot on Saturday’s Fight Night card. Griffin, meanwhile, was looking to snap a two-fight skid that saw him bested by Michael Chiesa and Chris Curtis.
Valenzuela was also coming into Fight Week with his grandmother having recently passed away.
Round one was a slow, tentative affair. Valenzuela marched forward, but Griffin stayed just out of range, clearly looking to avoid Valenzuela’s power while picking his spots. There was little meaningful action for most of the frame, though Griffin did time Valenzuela’s jab a few times. Valenzuela tried to close strong at the bell, but Griffin secured a brief takedown to cap off an uneventful opening round.
Round two wasn’t much different. With the fight badly needing some urgency, neither man provided it early. Valenzuela attempted a spinning backfist, which briefly appeared to give Griffin an opening for a rear-naked choke, though the replay showed it was far less dramatic than it seemed live. Griffin remained comfortable fighting off the back foot, landing calf kicks and countering effectively. The issue was that Valenzuela simply wasn’t applying enough pressure. Late in the round, Valenzuela made a mistake that allowed Griffin to score a takedown, though Valenzuela quickly scrambled back to his feet. Another lackluster round sent the fight to the third.
Valenzuela finally came out with some real urgency in Round three. Just as he started building momentum, Griffin changed levels for a takedown, though he couldn’t keep Valenzuela grounded for long. The first two minutes of the round featured more action than the entire fight up to that point. Valenzuela’s increased pressure forced Griffin to engage, and he found success working in the pocket with some effective dirty boxing. Both men exchanged freely at close range, turning what had been a dull fight into an entertaining final round.
Following his debut win, Valenzuela dedicated the fight to his grandmother. “I love you, thank you, because in some way you were with me today and this victory is yours.”
Official Result: Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
