Curtis Millender vs Max Griffin

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Belal Muhammad	0	48 of 96	50%	50 of 98	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:02
Curtis Millender	0	47 of 107	43%	126 of 217	2 of 6	33%	0	0	8:17

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Belal Muhammad	0	24 of 47	51%	25 of 48	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
Curtis Millender	0	19 of 41	46%	33 of 55	0 of 2	0%	0	1:21
2	Belal Muhammad	0	15 of 29	51%	16 of 30	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
Curtis Millender	0	14 of 33	42%	50 of 79	1 of 2	50%	0	3:06
3	Belal Muhammad	0	9 of 20	45%	9 of 20	0 of 0	---	0	0:02
Curtis Millender	0	14 of 33	42%	43 of 83	1 of 2	50%	0	3:50

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Belal Muhammad	48 of 96	50%	19 of 61	7 of 12	22 of 23	46 of 94	2 of 2	0 of 0
Curtis Millender	47 of 107	43%	39 of 96	4 of 7	4 of 4	33 of 78	0 of 1	14 of 28

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Belal Muhammad	24 of 47	51%	9 of 29	5 of 8	10 of 10	24 of 47	0 of 0	0 of 0
Curtis Millender	19 of 41	46%	12 of 32	3 of 5	4 of 4	19 of 40	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Belal Muhammad	15 of 29	51%	6 of 18	1 of 3	8 of 8	14 of 28	1 of 1	0 of 0
Curtis Millender	14 of 33	42%	14 of 32	0 of 1	0 of 0	7 of 20	0 of 0	7 of 13
3	Belal Muhammad	9 of 20	45%	4 of 14	1 of 1	4 of 5	8 of 19	1 of 1	0 of 0
Curtis Millender	14 of 33	42%	13 of 32	1 of 1	0 of 0	7 of 18	0 of 0	7 of 15

Curtis Millender vs. Belal Muhammad

Round 1
Up next is a welterweight bout between Curtis Millender and Belal Muhammad. The referee is Marc Goddard. No touch of gloves and Millender immediately takes the center of the Octagon. Millender with a low kick and a left hook. Another low kick by Millender and he just misses landing a high kick. Muhammad just misses landing a straight right. Millender with a counter right hook. Another low kick by Millender. Muhammad lands Millender with a right hook to the body. Millender with a stinging jab. Millender with a left hook to the body. Muhammad starts to work off his jab but Millender moves away. He’s doing a great job of utilizing his reach advantage thus far. Muhammad moves forward and clinches Millender against the cage. Muhammad is working hard for a single leg takedown but Millender defends it well. They temporarily pause due to an eye poke on Muhammad. Time is back in and Millender lands another long jab. He stings Muhammad with a straight right. The 10-second clapper rings and Millender lands a hard body kick just before the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Adam Martin scores the round: 10-9 Millender
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 2
Round two begins. Muhammad pushes forward and clinches Millender against the fence. He lands a hard elbow and they break. Muhammad pushes forward with a left hook. Muhammad with a kick to the body. Millender lands a left hook. Millender with a low kick. Muhammad pushes forward and completes a double leg takedown. Muhammad lands in half guard and has two minutes to work. He’s landing some hard punches to the face of Millender. Muhammad with some shoulder shots. Millender looks completely lost on his back and the clock continues to run down. Muhammad lands some hard elbows to the face of Millender and the round is over.

Sherdog Scores
Adam Martin scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 3
Round three begins. Millender lands a hard low kick. Muhammad shoots for a double leg but Millender stuffs it and lands a hard knee on the exit. Muhammad moves forward and lands a right hook. Muhammad with a straight right and he changes levels and lands a double leg takedown. Muhammad moves into half guard and continues to pepper Millender with ground and pound. Muhammad moves into full mount. He continues to land hard punches to the face of Millender, who turns his back in desperation. Muhammad has back mount now with his hooks in and is looking for a rear-naked choke. Millender escapes the choke attempt but Muhammad continues to rain down punches and the round and fight are over.

Sherdog Scores
Adam Martin scores the round: 10-8 Muhammad (29-27 Muhammad)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Muhammad (30-26 Muhammad)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)

The Official Result
Belal Muhammad def. Curtis Millender via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-26)

LOSS vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Submission (rear-naked choke) R1 2:35 · UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos · Mar 09, 2019

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos	0	6 of 9	66%	10 of 13	1 of 1	100%	1	0	2:08
Curtis Millender	0	0 of 1	0%	0 of 1	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos	0	6 of 9	66%	10 of 13	1 of 1	100%	1	0	2:08
1	Curtis Millender	0	0 of 1	0%	0 of 1	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos	6 of 9	66%	4 of 6	1 of 1	1 of 2	3 of 4	0 of 0	3 of 5
Curtis Millender	0 of 1	0%	0 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 0	0 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos	6 of 9	66%	4 of 6	1 of 1	1 of 2	3 of 4	0 of 0	3 of 5
1	Curtis Millender	0 of 1	0%	0 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 0	0 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 0

WIN vs Siyar Bahadurzada

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 232: Jones vs. Gustafsson 2 · Dec 29, 2018

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Curtis Millender	0	89 of 165	53%	91 of 167	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:17
Siyar Bahadurzada	0	40 of 121	33%	65 of 149	3 of 7	42%	0	0	3:14

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Curtis Millender	31 of 66	46%	31 of 66	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Siyar Bahadurzada	6 of 32	18%	6 of 32	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Curtis Millender	23 of 45	51%	23 of 45	0 of 0	---	0:02
2	Siyar Bahadurzada	15 of 42	35%	27 of 56	1 of 1	100%	1:42
3	Curtis Millender	35 of 54	64%	37 of 56	0 of 0	---	0:15
3	Siyar Bahadurzada	19 of 47	40%	32 of 61	2 of 6	33%	1:32

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Curtis Millender	89 of 165	53%	59 of 112	8 of 20	22 of 33	84 of 160	5 of 5	0 of 0
Siyar Bahadurzada	40 of 121	33%	30 of 98	4 of 14	6 of 9	29 of 104	2 of 5	9 of 12

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Curtis Millender	31 of 66	46%	14 of 35	1 of 8	16 of 23	31 of 66	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Siyar Bahadurzada	6 of 32	18%	2 of 22	2 of 6	2 of 4	6 of 32	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Curtis Millender	23 of 45	51%	15 of 31	4 of 7	4 of 7	22 of 44	1 of 1	0 of 0
2	Siyar Bahadurzada	15 of 42	35%	11 of 33	0 of 4	4 of 5	10 of 35	1 of 2	4 of 5
3	Curtis Millender	35 of 54	64%	30 of 46	3 of 5	2 of 3	31 of 50	4 of 4	0 of 0
3	Siyar Bahadurzada	19 of 47	40%	17 of 43	2 of 4	0 of 0	13 of 37	1 of 3	5 of 7

WIN vs Max Griffin

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier · Jul 07, 2018

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Curtis Millender	0	38 of 94	40%	40 of 96	1 of 1	100%	0	0	0:19
Max Griffin	0	44 of 99	44%	61 of 117	1 of 2	50%	0	0	4:17

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Curtis Millender	9 of 15	60%	9 of 15	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Max Griffin	14 of 31	45%	29 of 47	1 of 1	100%	3:00
2	Curtis Millender	10 of 33	30%	11 of 34	1 of 1	100%	0:19
2	Max Griffin	15 of 32	46%	15 of 32	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Curtis Millender	19 of 46	41%	20 of 47	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Max Griffin	15 of 36	41%	17 of 38	0 of 1	0%	1:17

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Curtis Millender	38 of 94	40%	23 of 71	10 of 15	5 of 8	33 of 86	3 of 6	2 of 2
Max Griffin	44 of 99	44%	28 of 75	7 of 14	9 of 10	34 of 85	1 of 3	9 of 11

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Curtis Millender	9 of 15	60%	2 of 7	5 of 5	2 of 3	9 of 15	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Max Griffin	14 of 31	45%	12 of 27	0 of 1	2 of 3	5 of 20	0 of 0	9 of 11
2	Curtis Millender	10 of 33	30%	6 of 25	3 of 5	1 of 3	8 of 30	0 of 1	2 of 2
2	Max Griffin	15 of 32	46%	6 of 20	4 of 7	5 of 5	15 of 32	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Curtis Millender	19 of 46	41%	15 of 39	2 of 5	2 of 2	16 of 41	3 of 5	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	15 of 36	41%	10 of 28	3 of 6	2 of 2	14 of 33	1 of 3	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Curtis Millender

Round 1
Millender catches Griffin stepping inside and backs him off with a quick knee up the center. The big Californian lands a few heavy leg kicks, including one about 90 seconds in that puts Griffin on his knees momentarily. Two minutes in, Griffin gets inside and hits a quick takedown, putting Millender flat on his back at the base of the fence. Griffin keeps things tight as he works from half guard, chest-to-chest with Millender as he works to advance. Millender isn't doing much to escape, mostly wrapping up Griffin's arms to prevent ground-and-pound. Griffin postures up to land a couple punches, now an elbow, before Millender hugs him again. Griffin goes knee-on-belly with 20 seconds left and socks Millender with a few final punches before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Griffin

Round 2
Millender swings some long punches in Griffin's direction at the start of round two, trying to keep the shorter man on the outside and away from his legs. Griffin gets backed up to the fence and has to scurry away as Millender comes flying at him with a sailing knee. Griffin rocks the head of Millender with an overhand right, tries to shoot inside and gets a knee to the body from Millender. Millender catches Griffin leaning inside to punch and lands a right high kick to the face. Griffin continues to come forward as they hit the midway point of the round, shoots for a takedown and has to bail as Millender threatens to catch him in a headlock. Millender slowly walks down Griffin from the center of the cage. Griffin tries to shoot, gets stuffed and kneed in the gut, then socked with a short punch before he can backpedal away. Millender finishes the round with a takedown and a few hammerfists in the final 20 seconds.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Millender
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Millender
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Millender

Round 3
Millender continues to dictate the pace and direction of the bout as he stakes out the center of the cage early in the final frame. Griffin tries to circle and angle his way inside, but Millender's rangy punches and kicks put him in the danger zone with each attempt. Two minutes in, Griffin gets hold of Millender and tries a takedown at the fence. Millender shows better defense this time, widening his base against the fence and even hitting Griffin with a knee as he fights off the shot. The welterweights separate with just about two minutes remaining. Millender touches Griffin with a jab, corners him near the fence and feeds him a sizzling right hand. Griffin tries to escape, but Millender walks him down and knees him hard, forcing Griffin to bail out again as the fight draws to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Millender (29-28 Millender)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Millender (29-28 Millender)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Millender (29-28 Millender)

The Official Result
Curtis Millender def. Max Griffin via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

WIN vs Thiago Alves

KO (knee) R2 4:17 · UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros · Feb 18, 2018

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Curtis Millender	0	33 of 106	31%	37 of 110	1 of 1	100%	0	0	0:14
Thiago Alves	2	47 of 106	44%	47 of 106	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:14

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Curtis Millender	0	11 of 46	23%	15 of 50	1 of 1	100%	0:14
1	Thiago Alves	1	26 of 54	48%	26 of 54	0 of 0	---	0:11
2	Curtis Millender	0	22 of 60	36%	22 of 60	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Thiago Alves	1	21 of 52	40%	21 of 52	0 of 0	---	0:03

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Curtis Millender	33 of 106	31%	3 of 63	3 of 3	27 of 40	33 of 106	0 of 0	0 of 0
Thiago Alves	47 of 106	44%	31 of 85	7 of 10	9 of 11	44 of 100	0 of 0	3 of 6

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Curtis Millender	11 of 46	23%	1 of 31	0 of 0	10 of 15	11 of 46	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Thiago Alves	26 of 54	48%	16 of 40	5 of 7	5 of 7	23 of 48	0 of 0	3 of 6
2	Curtis Millender	22 of 60	36%	2 of 32	3 of 3	17 of 25	22 of 60	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Thiago Alves	21 of 52	40%	15 of 45	2 of 3	4 of 4	21 of 52	0 of 0	0 of 0

Max Griffin - Fight History

LOSS vs Victor Valenzuela

Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal · Apr 25, 2026

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Max Griffin	0	40 of 89	44%	43 of 94	4 of 9	44%	0	0	1:03
Victor Valenzuela	0	53 of 117	45%	53 of 117	1 of 2	50%	0	0	0:36

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Max Griffin	10 of 24	41%	11 of 25	1 of 1	100%	0:21
1	Victor Valenzuela	12 of 29	41%	12 of 29	0 of 1	0%	0:00
2	Max Griffin	10 of 27	37%	10 of 27	2 of 4	50%	0:19
2	Victor Valenzuela	12 of 28	42%	12 of 28	1 of 1	100%	0:32
3	Max Griffin	20 of 38	52%	22 of 42	1 of 4	25%	0:23
3	Victor Valenzuela	29 of 60	48%	29 of 60	0 of 0	---	0:04

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Max Griffin	40 of 89	44%	36 of 83	1 of 2	3 of 4	37 of 84	3 of 4	0 of 1
Victor Valenzuela	53 of 117	45%	33 of 91	15 of 19	5 of 7	50 of 111	3 of 6	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Max Griffin	10 of 24	41%	10 of 24	0 of 0	0 of 0	10 of 23	0 of 0	0 of 1
1	Victor Valenzuela	12 of 29	41%	5 of 19	5 of 6	2 of 4	12 of 29	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Max Griffin	10 of 27	37%	7 of 22	0 of 1	3 of 4	8 of 24	2 of 3	0 of 0
2	Victor Valenzuela	12 of 28	42%	6 of 20	4 of 6	2 of 2	12 of 27	0 of 1	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	20 of 38	52%	19 of 37	1 of 1	0 of 0	19 of 37	1 of 1	0 of 0
3	Victor Valenzuela	29 of 60	48%	22 of 52	6 of 7	1 of 1	26 of 55	3 of 5	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Victor Valenzuela
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Valenzuela (-140); Griffin (+115)

Round 1
Back against the wall having lost three of four, 40-year-old Griffin (20-12, 8-10 UFC) would like to demonstrate he has more left to offer and plans on inflicting “Pain” on his debuting opponent. Hardly a spring chicken at the age of 32, this Chilean welterweight Valenzuela (13-4, 0-0 UFC) was signed to the promotion despite suffering a knockout loss on last year’s Contender Series. Only one man will move on with a win tonight, barring something unusual, and referee Chris Tognoni will be standing by. The fighters do not touch gloves before handling their business.
Griffin walks the newcomer down right out of the gate, no-selling a high kick as he tries to get in range. Valenzuela is keeping to a wide kickboxing distance, breaking it only to try to crash in with punches. Griffin dodges them and watches a few more fly past him, with a lot of swinging and missing early on. Valenzuela rushes forward to throw hands, but all he connects with is a body kick. Griffin marches him down and busts him in the face with a right hand, only to get staggered back with a counter right when hanging around a little too long in the pocket. Both men offer out jabs, and Griffin just misses a short left hook when Valenzuela ducks forward.
It is a stalemate for a time, until Valenzuela dives after a double-leg takedown entry. Griffin whiffs on an uppercut but tosses the newcomer to the side. Valenzuela cannot find his target with a spin kick, taking a jab off the forehead and evading the subsequent effort. Griffin sneaks in a right hand around Valenzuela’s jab, and he skirts away when Valenzuela advances. Valenzuela kicks the inside thigh, and Griffin jabs him back. Valenzuela puts two punches on the jaw and lands a body kick, and his right hook backs Griffin off. Griffin takes a few heavy blows and shoots for a counter takedown, scoring it for a moment. Valenzuela wall-walks to get back upright, with Griffin kneeing him once in the clinch before they split. The slow round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valenzuela
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Valenzuela
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valenzuela

Round 2
Valenzuela wades out of his corner looking for kicks, reaching the midsection a few times with them. Griffin dances away from the worst of what comes his way, but it means that Valenzuela is landing and he is not. Griffin tries to sweep the leg with a kick all the way down at the ankle, and Valenzuela stops and frowns at him. “Pain” looks for a right hand when Valenzuela comes after him, missing and nearly falling over. Griffin opens up with a huge right hand, knocking Valenzuela to the floor where he can loop around on the mat to hunt for a choke. Valenzuela simply sits up to break out of it.
Little happens after that exciting moment for at least a minute, with tit-for-tat engagement until Valenzuela open up with a wheel kick. Griffin licks his chops and takes Valenzuela down easily, landing a few strikes when landing on top. Valenzuela explodes to get out of the precarious position, turning the tables on the UFC veteran by shooting in for a double. Griffin turns to his side, and the fighters are warned for fence grabs. Valenzuela pulls back rather than trying to keep after the takedown, and he jacks Griffin in the jaw with a few punches. Griffin fires back, but Valenzuela is beating him largely to the punch. Griffin connects with a heavy right at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 3
Valenzuela strikes first with a left hook, and he staggers Griffin with a right hand to follow. Backing Griffin to the fence, he opens up with a few more punches until Griffin decides he will channel his inner football player by straight-up tackling Valenzuela to the floor. Valenzuela is quick to turn to his knees to stand, and Griffin grabs hold of the back of his head and knees him in the dome. When upright again, Valenzuela dings Griffin with an overhand right. Griffin swings back with a vengeance, opening a cut on the bridge of the newcomer’s nose. He catches Valenzuela standing still with a left hook, and slides away when two huge hooks are aimed his way. Griffin engages, gets caught with a right hand and tries to grapple. Valenzuela tosses him aside, but when he lands his right hand flush, he seems to hurt Griffin every time. Griffin pushes out a vertical elbow as he tries to get Valenzuela off of him, lobbing a body kick as well when circling out. Valenzuela stays after him, whether with jabs or power punches, and he rips open a cut on the inner left eyebrow of a very angry-looking Griffin.
Griffin loads up and smashes his fist into Valenzuela’s mouth, causing blood to flow as the two men clearly want to record a big knockout. Griffin tries to tackle again, but he settles for shoving Valenzuela back. Valenzuela races after him, keeping “Pain” on the back foot and causing him pain with his heavy swings. Griffin is flagging but still very much in the fight, his fists careening off the raised guard of his adversary. Valenzuela bullies him and rips a right hand upstairs and a left kick to the body, forcing another grimace from the visage of his opponent. Griffin ducks under a left hand to shoot in for a double, and Valenzuela puts his hand on Griffin’s throat and turns him around in a sheer power move, blood trickling down the newcomer’s face. Valenzuela has taken big shots and is leaking from multiple wounds around his face, his complexion quickly transforming to that of his red shorts, and he wants to stand and bang. He motions to Griffin that it is time to duke it out, and Griffin leaps at him with a right hand. Valenzuela has to play the matador rather than the slugger in the final exchanges, with the horn punctuating a close, bloody battle.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valenzuela (29-28 Valenzuela)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Valenzuela (29-28 Valenzuela)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valenzuela (29-28 Valenzuela)

The Official Result
Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Angelo leans on Max Griffin despite his age, citing Griffin's experience and toughness. He notes that Victor Valenzuela has not fought anyone good and was dropped three times in his last Apex fight. Angelo believes Griffin will fire back and potentially work in a takedown, though he admits uncertainty about Valenzuela's takedown defense. He rates his confidence at 51% for Griffin, calling it a 'nice little dog' but says he probably won't bet on it.

Angelo says he's probably not going to spend any money on this pick.

"I am going to lean on a 40-year-old Max Griffin to get the win. I think the experience will matter."

We Want Picks

Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean picked Apr 24, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Max Griffin

Connor picks Griffin because he believes Griffin hasn't fallen off and can out-slick Valenzuela. He notes that Griffin has a history of beating non-elite fighters and that Valenzuela is a one-note brawler. Connor also points out that Griffin can use movement, clinch, and takedowns to frustrate Valenzuela, similar to his game plan against Mike Perry.

Valenzuela opened at -110, now -145; Griffin opened at -110, now +125. Connor sees value in Griffin as an underdog.

"i'm gonna take max griffin i i'm sadness hedging i want max to win this i don't really care to be honest i'm just i think max griffin uh as you said like he hasn't really he doesn't really look …"

MMA Vivisection

Lucrative James Expert picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)

James states he has not done tape on Valenzuela due to the fight being scheduled recently, so he cannot give a prediction.

"I haven't done tape on Valenuela. I have to be honest with you. So I can't give you a prediction on that one."

Lucrative MMA

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)

Victor Valenzuela

Valenzuela is a powerful pocket striker with good finishing ability, catching Griffin at the right time as Griffin is on a two-fight losing streak and showing his age. Griffin may start fast but will slow down, allowing Valenzuela to walk him down and land big shots. Expect a knockout finish in round two or three.

Valenzuela by KO round 2 or 3

"I expect Valenuela to start landing big shots. And I think that could lead to him really roughing Griffin up and eventually finding that finish."

MMA Lock of the Night

Zane Simon Expert Lean picked Apr 24, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Victor Valenzuela

Zane picks Valenzuela because he thinks Griffin is getting old and his fights against similar 'blockhead' opponents have been razor-thin. He notes that Valenzuela is an aggressive finisher in his prime, while Griffin's game is built on weird martial arts and he tends to wander away from good ideas. Zane also points out that Valenzuela's only recent loss was to a top prospect, Michael Oliveira.

Valenzuela opened at -110, now -145; Griffin opened at -110, now +125.

"i'm gonna take valenzuela man i'm gonna take max griffin i i'm sadness hedging i want max to win this i don't really care to be honest i'm just i think max griffin uh as you said like he hasn't …"

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Chris Curtis

Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Teixeira · Jul 12, 2025

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Max Griffin	0	59 of 178	33%	63 of 185	0 of 0	---	0	0	1:03
Chris Curtis	0	64 of 155	41%	71 of 162	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:14

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Max Griffin	21 of 48	43%	22 of 51	0 of 0	---	0:34
1	Chris Curtis	8 of 32	25%	11 of 35	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Max Griffin	17 of 58	29%	19 of 61	0 of 0	---	0:29
2	Chris Curtis	21 of 52	40%	23 of 54	0 of 0	---	0:14
3	Max Griffin	21 of 72	29%	22 of 73	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Chris Curtis	35 of 71	49%	37 of 73	0 of 1	0%	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Max Griffin	59 of 178	33%	38 of 147	14 of 21	7 of 10	58 of 175	1 of 3	0 of 0
Chris Curtis	64 of 155	41%	44 of 132	18 of 21	2 of 2	61 of 149	3 of 6	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Max Griffin	21 of 48	43%	14 of 38	4 of 6	3 of 4	20 of 47	1 of 1	0 of 0
1	Chris Curtis	8 of 32	25%	5 of 29	3 of 3	0 of 0	8 of 31	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Max Griffin	17 of 58	29%	12 of 51	2 of 3	3 of 4	17 of 57	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Chris Curtis	21 of 52	40%	15 of 46	4 of 4	2 of 2	19 of 50	2 of 2	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	21 of 72	29%	12 of 58	8 of 12	1 of 2	21 of 71	0 of 1	0 of 0
3	Chris Curtis	35 of 71	49%	24 of 57	11 of 14	0 of 0	34 of 68	1 of 3	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Chris Curtis
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Curtis (-310); Griffin (+250)

Round 1
One win away from getting his .500 UFC record back, Griffin (20-11, 8-9 UFC) will be staring across the cage from Curtis (31-12, 1 NC; 5-4, 1 NC UFC). There are no more rules in MMA, as Curtis was able two weeks ago to violate one of the most seemingly inviolable rules of corner interference by
outright attacking his defeated fighter’s opponent
without so much as a whimper from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. “The Action Man” was so starved for action that he recently crashed Luis Hernandez’ victory party at Tuff-N-Uff 145, helping teammate Sean Strickland put hands on Hernandez. It’s time for these welterweights to bang it out with referee Justin Brown watching on. They don’t touch gloves.
Griffin springs after Curtis, pawing out short left hands that do not land. This continues for about 30 seconds, until “Pain” releases a painful calf kick. Curtis checks the second, and he eats a right hand down the pipe when countered. Curtis lunges with a single left hand, pulling back to reset. He stands still waiting for Griffin to come to him, suddenly releasing a pair of punches. Griffin launches a low kick, clacking square into Curtis’ cup loudly. The crowd unleashes boos, possibly doubting he took the illegal blow, but the replay confirms the contact. Brown gives Curtis time to recover, and after a minute, he is good to go. Griffin pump-fakes several times with his legs, but no one is really actually engaging. Curtis steps in to attack, and he complains to Brown that he was headbutted.
Brown tells him to fight on, blood flowing from the wound on Curtis’ head, and Curtis is fired up. He rushes at Griffin hurling punches, his vision partially obscured from the leaking head wound. He strings three punches together, and Griffin snaps his head back and makes Curtis smile. Curtis stalks after Griffin, enjoying himself now, and he takes a left hand so he can pound Griffin in the stomach and temple. Griffin sticks him with a right hand, getting on his bike to move and stay off the gunnery range. Curtis backs him to the wall, and Griffin springboards to get out. Curtis pins him down with a few punches, and he is grappled by “Pain.” Griffin pushes him to the fencing, separating with seconds left and taking a knee to the jaw. Curtis lashes out, grinning like a banshee, but nothing cleanly connects as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2
The cut across Curtis’ eyebrow is sealed between rounds, but it is deep and wide. The two chatter at one another while trading hands, chasing one another around with momentum shifts. Curtis drills Griffin with a right hook, and Griffin has to hurry to get away before taking further damage. Griffin lets loose with a head kick that stuns Curtis, and as he tries to finish the job, Curtis nails him with a counter to put Griffin down. Griffin jumps back up, and Curtis is on him, swinging harder and with meaner intentions. The right hand from “The Action Man” splits a cut on the side of Griffin’s left eye, and he swings at the same spot when lunging. Griffin strafes to the side and looses a few punches to keep Curtis honest. Curtis slips as he engages, but is no worse for wear.
Curtis misses a massive uppercut by a matter of inches, and he continues to march after the older fighter. Curtis misses on a body kick, and he lands to put a right hand in Griffin’s face. Griffin kicks Curtis in the face, and Curtis completely ignores it but tells Brown that Griffin headbutted him again. The clinch results in a stalemate, and the spoiled fans in the building start booing quickly. The fighters trade knees when tied up before breaking apart, where Griffin gets off a one-two on the break. Curtis goes right after him, headhunting all the while, and Griffin tags him with a right. A second nearly stumbles Curtis, with his own strikes drawing no reaction from “Pain.” Griffin steps in to drive a shovel right hand to the torso, and Curtis grimaces and fires back with a knee. He then activates a reaching combination of punches, with Curtis knocking Griffin back and off the wall. They clinch up again, and Curtis catches him on the way out with a left hand. They hurl fists at one another until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Curtis
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Curtis
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Curtis

Round 3
Curtis introduces himself with a pair of tight jabs, using them to break up the big swings from the advancing Griffin. Griffin fires right back, ending a salvo with a head kick that rebounds off the raised guard. Curtis walks his man down, and Griffin tags him a few times on the way in. Curtis ducks face-first into a right hand, and he takes a solid body kick that slips beneath his guard. He walks Griffin down to stab him in the torso with a long punch, and he keeps swinging until Griffin knocks him back with a right hand. The head movement from Curtis keeps him safe as he tries to remain in the pocket with his opponent, putting short combos together to decent effect. Griffin looses a few body shots and a head kick, and Curtis retaliates with similar punches.
When Curtis ducks again, Griffin times a head kick, but it is the body shot of Curtis that is doing some damage. Griffin backpedals, sucking wind a little, and Curtis lays into him with unanswered strikes. Griffin ducks and counters one with a right hand over the top, and he tries to answer Curtis back with his firepower. The short hooks do not have the same effect as Curtis’ wide swings, but they are effective at keeping Curtis from walking over him. Curtis lands with a hard right, and he finds his home with a left before Griffin tries to tie him up. Griffin marches forward, and Curtis trips him to the mat and smiles at him from ear-to-ear. It takes Griffin a moment to get up, and the two proceed to let one another have it. Knees, head kicks and plenty of fists fly as they ride out the remainder of the clock waging battle. Time expires, and they leave this in the hands of the judges.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Curtis (29-28 Curtis)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Curtis (29-28 Curtis)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Curtis (29-28 Curtis)

The Official Result
Chris Curtis def. Max Griffin via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jul 6, 2025 (6 days before fight)

Chris Curtis

Angelo picks Chris Curtis but expresses concern about his weight cut to welterweight at 37 years old, especially after a recent knockout. He thinks Curtis is the cleaner striker with good takedown defense, but worries about his chin durability after cutting weight. He notes that if the fight is actually at 185, he would be more confident and would bet on Curtis.

Concerned about weight cut; if fight is at 185, would bet on Curtis.

"Chris Curtis is going to be the pick. I don't love these odds going down in weight."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 8, 2025 (4 days before fight)

Chris Curtis

Big Brady likes Chris Curtis as the better striker with higher volume and power. He notes Curtis has elite takedown defense and the fight will stay standing. He mentions Curtis went toe-to-toe with Roman Kopylov. He picks Curtis by decision but warns the line is wide and judges could be an issue.

decision

"Curtis by decision for me."

DFS by the Numbers

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 9, 2025 (3 days before fight)

Chris Curtis

The host is high on Curtis moving down to 170 lbs, where he spent most of his career before the UFC. He thinks this will be a great matchup for Curtis to showcase his danger at welterweight and expects him to finish Griffin in the second or third round. The pick is based on Curtis's experience at the weight and his finishing ability.

finish in round 2 or 3

"Curtis going down to 170 lbs, which is where he has spent the majority of his career before joining the UFC. I think this will be a great uh sign for him that he's going to start moving up. I …"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 10, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Chris Curtis

The MMA Guru picks Chris Curtis, noting he is a 3-to-1 favorite. He criticizes Max Griffin's split decision win over Tim Means and believes Curtis would finish Means. He highlights Curtis' experience (12 more pro fights) and his competitive performances against Brendan Allen and Roman Kopylov. He expects Curtis to keep the fight standing, use body shots, and finish Griffin by TKO in the second or third round.

second or third round TKO, body shot related

"I'm going with Chris Curtis over Max Griffin. He is the favorite here. 3 to one favorite."

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Michael Chiesa

Submission (rear-naked choke) R3 1:56 · UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura · Dec 07, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Michael Chiesa	0	13 of 39	33%	54 of 87	2 of 8	25%	1	0	3:48
Max Griffin	0	10 of 34	29%	18 of 43	0 of 1	0%	0	0	1:19

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Ctrl
1	Michael Chiesa	6 of 17	35%	12 of 25	1 of 4	25%	0	1:35
1	Max Griffin	3 of 15	20%	5 of 17	0 of 1	0%	0	0:00
2	Michael Chiesa	5 of 16	31%	38 of 54	0 of 3	0%	0	1:20
2	Max Griffin	5 of 11	45%	11 of 18	0 of 0	---	0	1:19
3	Michael Chiesa	2 of 6	33%	4 of 8	1 of 1	100%	1	0:53
3	Max Griffin	2 of 8	25%	2 of 8	0 of 0	---	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Michael Chiesa	13 of 39	33%	11 of 33	2 of 6	0 of 0	9 of 29	4 of 10	0 of 0
Max Griffin	10 of 34	29%	9 of 33	1 of 1	0 of 0	10 of 30	0 of 4	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Michael Chiesa	6 of 17	35%	4 of 13	2 of 4	0 of 0	4 of 15	2 of 2	0 of 0
1	Max Griffin	3 of 15	20%	3 of 15	0 of 0	0 of 0	3 of 14	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Michael Chiesa	5 of 16	31%	5 of 14	0 of 2	0 of 0	3 of 11	2 of 5	0 of 0
2	Max Griffin	5 of 11	45%	4 of 10	1 of 1	0 of 0	5 of 10	0 of 1	0 of 0
3	Michael Chiesa	2 of 6	33%	2 of 6	0 of 0	0 of 0	2 of 3	0 of 3	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	2 of 8	25%	2 of 8	0 of 0	0 of 0	2 of 6	0 of 2	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Griffin (-125), Chiesa (+105)

Round 1
It’s a quintessential grappler vs. striker matchup to hold serve in the welterweight division, as two aging vets look to show the matchmakers they still have plenty to offer even as losses have piled up of late. Birthday boy Chiesa (17-7, 12-7 UFC) snapped a career-long skid by tapping Tony Ferguson in August, while Griffin (20-10, 8-8 UFC) has alternated wins and losses in his last five. Referee Marc Goddard will take charge of the Octagon for the next three rounds or fewer, and he kicks the fight off as the 170ers opt not to bump fists. Chiesa strafes around the cage, not letting himself slow down so that Griffin can cut him off. Griffin walks him down, but he is unable to corner him early. Chiesa keeps his front hand open to engage with grappling instead of throwing it, and he hand-fights Griffin’s lead hand in the other stance. Chiesa punches his way into a takedown attempt, clipping Griffin with a left before dragging him to a knee. Griffin leans himself against the cage, and “Maverick” glides behind him. Chiesa slithers a hook in to tangle Griffin up, and Griffin stands up. Chiesa gets the other hook in from behind and he wraps his legs together to hang on as a mean-spirited backpack. Griffin wriggles his foe off of him and separates, resetting at striking range. Chiesa bounces and keeps moving, whipping a high kick that slaps off the raised guard. Griffin catches Chiesa in the midst of an exchange, and Chiesa’s counter is so wild he nearly swings himself down to the ground. Griffin lets him recover so he can stick him with a right hand, and Chiesa’s reaction is uncomfortable as he is momentarily stunned. Griffin loads up on power strikes, drawing some swelling beneath Chiesa’s left eye. Chiesa connects with a big left, takes a takedown and drives a knee into the chest. Griffin shakes it off and tags his foe with a right hand, and Chiesa nods at the blow and shoots for a takedown. Griffin hits the ground and scrambles wildly to explode to his feet. Chiesa wrenches him back down to the mat, and he wraps a body triangle around the waist and smacks Griffin in the back and sides of the head until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 2
Chiesa starts off the round fresh as a daisy, springing back and forth and picking his shots from the outside. Griffin’s counters hit nothing but air, and Chiesa punches his way into a takedown that is stonewalled. Griffin darts in with a right hand, and on the way out, Chiesa lands his own punch. Griffin whiffs when Chiesa ducks down on a takedown, and two more failed shots from Chiesa lead to a tie-up against the fence. Griffin wants nothing to do with this, exploding out of the clinch so he can continue stalking Chiesa down. Griffin comes up short on power strikes, with Chiesa escaping out the back door and surprising “Pain” with a head kick. Griffin ties him up and pushes the TUF champ against the wall. Griffin grinds his foe against the fencing, getting a knee in as he imposes his weight. Goddard asks for more activity, and Chiesa is the one who answers, changing levels for a takedown shot. Before it goes anywhere, Griffin twists him around, and he eventually works his way out. Chiesa ducks a left hand to try to take the fight down, and he surprises the older fighter with a sudden flurry of uppercuts and short punches that get Griffin’s attention. Chiesa’s momentum drives him into a clinch, and he wraps his left leg around Griffin’s so he can try to wrench him down. Chiesa partially takes the back while the two remain standing, and he works on Griffin with stay-busy strikes until Griffin turns around. The round ends with a Chiesa knee to the body.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 3
Griffin comes out of his corner ready to throw hands, and he marches Chiesa down and tries to cut him off. Chiesa keeps moving, constantly going from side to side. As he swipes out a left hand, he shrugs after landing it. Griffin catches him with a right hand, and Chiesa retaliates and pursues a takedown. Griffin stonewalls him and pushes him aside, and he eats a right hand on the way out. As Griffin loads up, Chiesa trips him out with a single-leg takedown and takes his back. One hook in leads to two, and Chiesa hangs onto the back of “Pain” and fishes for an opening. Chiesa wraps up the rear-naked choke, and Griffin pushes off the fence to get just enough space in the grip to keep himself in the fight.
Chiesa refastens his choke and is primarily using his right arm to get it done, and as Griffin turns to his stomach, he enters the Danger Zone. Chiesa wrenches on the rear-naked choke with his other arm with sheer power and determination, and Griffin has no choice but to tap out before going out.
As Chiesa releases the sub, he walks off to celebrate. His legion of fans in the building start singing him “Happy Birthday,” and he dedicates his victory to recently deceased UFC staff member Derek Thompson.

The Official Result
Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin R3 1:56 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Nov 30, 2024 (7 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Angelo picks Michael Chiesa as an underdog, believing Chiesa can use his grappling to neutralize Max Griffin's power. He notes Chiesa's improved fight IQ from coaching and analysis work. However, he acknowledges the fight is tricky and expects it to go the distance. He suggests possibly betting the spread (Chiesa +3.5) when props drop.

Maybe bet the spread (Chiesa +3.5), fight goes a little bit

"I'm going to pick Michael Kessa to win this fight"

We Want Picks

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Cody picks Chiesa, citing his wrestling and submission threat. He notes Griffin's takedown defense issues and close decision losses. He thinks Chiesa can grind out a win, though he acknowledges Chiesa's inconsistency.

"I'll side with Chiesa... it's Chiesa for me."

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Connor picks Chiesa, arguing that Griffin lacks a defined game plan and often wanders out of fights. He notes that Chiesa is aggressive with his reach and clinch work, and that Griffin is not a submission threat, which is important because Chiesa has been submitted in most of his losses. Connor believes that if Chiesa pressures and forces clinches, Griffin will not have an answer.

"I think i'm gonna take michael kiesa."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Daniel picks Chiesa as an underdog, citing Griffin's recent decline and takedown defense issues. He believes Chiesa's grappling and strength will be decisive once he gets the fight to the mat. He notes Griffin's lack of submission threat.

"Give me a KSA for the upset, actually."

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Max Griffin

This is a fight between two flaky fighters, but I lean with Griffin's activity as of late. His ability to keep the fight standing and out-strike Chiesa on the feet will allow him to win on the scorecards.

"I do have to to lean with Griffin's activity as of late as I do think his ability to keep this fight standing and badrick K on the feet will allow him to win this fight on the scor cards"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Paul picks Chiesa, emphasizing his wrestling advantage and Griffin's struggles with grapplers. He notes Griffin's age and lack of finishing ability. He thinks Chiesa can control the fight and win a decision or submission.

"I like Michael Chiesa... he's going to be part of the PRP."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

The MMA Guru picks Michael Chiesa, though he calls it tricky. He believes Chiesa's grappling will be the difference, as Griffin has historically struggled with grapplers (citing Colby Covington fight). He thinks Griffin lacks the dynamic striking to finish Chiesa early, and trusts Chiesa to grind out a 29-28 decision.

"I'm gonna go with Michael ker I'm gonna go with Michael ker getting this one done I think his grappling is going to be the difference"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Max Griffin

Zane picks Griffin, noting that Griffin is a good athlete who has shown he can mimic game plans, as he did against Mike Perry. He points out that Chiesa has been submitted in almost every loss, and while Griffin is not a submission specialist, he might catch Chiesa in a guillotine. Zane also mentions that Griffin has been competitive with tough opponents and that Chiesa's recent losses have been to high-level grapplers.

"I think i'll take max griffin."

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs Jeremiah Wells

Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer · Feb 10, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Max Griffin	0	26 of 53	49%	36 of 65	1 of 2	50%	0	0	1:40
Jeremiah Wells	0	32 of 86	37%	43 of 97	1 of 2	50%	0	0	1:40

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Max Griffin	6 of 18	33%	13 of 26	1 of 1	100%	0:10
1	Jeremiah Wells	7 of 26	26%	7 of 26	1 of 2	50%	0:44
2	Max Griffin	10 of 16	62%	11 of 17	0 of 0	---	0:14
2	Jeremiah Wells	17 of 36	47%	17 of 36	0 of 0	---	0:56
3	Max Griffin	10 of 19	52%	12 of 22	0 of 1	0%	1:16
3	Jeremiah Wells	8 of 24	33%	19 of 35	0 of 0	---	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Max Griffin	26 of 53	49%	21 of 48	4 of 4	1 of 1	24 of 51	2 of 2	0 of 0
Jeremiah Wells	32 of 86	37%	27 of 76	5 of 7	0 of 3	32 of 85	0 of 1	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Max Griffin	6 of 18	33%	5 of 17	1 of 1	0 of 0	6 of 18	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Jeremiah Wells	7 of 26	26%	7 of 24	0 of 1	0 of 1	7 of 25	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Max Griffin	10 of 16	62%	8 of 14	2 of 2	0 of 0	8 of 14	2 of 2	0 of 0
2	Jeremiah Wells	17 of 36	47%	13 of 30	4 of 5	0 of 1	17 of 36	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	10 of 19	52%	8 of 17	1 of 1	1 of 1	10 of 19	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Jeremiah Wells	8 of 24	33%	7 of 22	1 of 1	0 of 1	8 of 24	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Jeremiah Wells
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Wells (-170), Griffin (+142)

Round 1
Action will be on display as these two offense-first welterweights enter the cage. This is a crucial contest for the 38-year-old Griffin (19-11, 7-8 UFC), who could get back to .500 with a win. All he has to do is get past the fast and frenetic Wells (12-3-1, 4-1 UFC), who is only one year his junior. These elder statesmen at 170 pounds will be officiated by referee Chris Tognoni, and they have no interest in touching them up as Wells instead spins with a heel kick to the midsection unexpectedly. Griffin deftly avoids it and he proceeds to stalk Wells down, chasing him around the cage for about 30 seconds without throwing anything. Wells spins with a wheel kick that glances off the side of Griffin’s head, and he keeps moving by spinning with an elbow that dings Griffin again. Griffin backs off instead of trying to counter, and Wells feints and stomps the floor with loud screams. Griffin acknowledges him with a sharp jab in response, but it is one-and-done as he continues to follow Wells around. Wells gets a jab back with his own, and Griffin surges ahead with a trio of punches. Wells dips back, and Griffin gives chase with a few more heavy shots until Wells retreats out of range. The two continue to measure one another for long stretches of inactivity, perhaps a little too respectful of one another’s power. Wells connects with a left hand, and he blitzes forward with another left hook and enough forward momentum that allows him to tackle Griffin to the canvas. Griffin fights back to his feet by wall-walking, and Wells presses on him with his full body weight. Wells ropes out several haymakers that sting Griffin, but Griffin manages to catches his opponent with a short right hand. Wells keeps a decent poker face despite being stung, and Griffin scores another right that makes Wells think twice about exchanging. Griffin’s own advancing gets him into range, and he secures a sudden takedown that puts Wells on his back for the remainder of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wells
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wells
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wells

Round 2
The welterweights are tentative to engage to start off the round, both leading with single jabs but otherwise operating with plenty of fakes and feints but few actual committed strikes. Griffin keeps Wells on his back foot, and he holds his guard high to block a huge overhand right from Wells. Griffin is out of range when a subsequent wrecking ball of a left hook comes his way, and he does not bite when Wells fakes a spin. Wells attempts a front kick that grazes off the body, and he swats out a left hand that is parried. Griffin connects with a right hand, and Wells welcomes the exchange and hurls himself forward into the melee. Both men crack one another with violent blows, and Griffin’s chin holds together as he is pressed towards the fencing. After jockeying for position, the two split up and they return to kickboxing range. Wells, his nose bleeding, pokes out a jab and then swings a left hook that would blow Tognoni’s hair back if he had any. Wells connects with a body kick, and he spins with a kick to the same target as Griffin grimaces. Griffin eats a jumping kick to the body and a right hand on the chin, but he still manages to reply with a short right hand that gives Wells brief pause. Wells fires off a side kick that careens off the guard, and he doubles up on a jab as well. Wells reaches in with a left, but Griffin catches him with a right that makes Wells back off. Griffin comes at him to throw hands, and Wells practically sprints towards him so he can tie Griffin up again. This clinch position ends the round, and Griffin takes him down after the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wells
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wells
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wells

Round 3
Wells leads the dance with a spinning kick to the ribs, and Griffin grunts when it lands flush. Wells throws a sloppy right hand, and Griffin sees it coming and replies with a short right that Wells does not like. After another agonizing stretch of feinting, Wells lashes out with two hooks, and even though Griffin blocks it, they hurt. Griffin replies with a single kick, and they reset and start jabbing. Griffin times another big punch from Wells and beats him to the punch with a short right, but Wells continues throwing bombs and keeps Griffin cautious. Wells lobs haymakers as they soar past Griffin, and Griffin gets one shot in and makes Wells shake it off. The welterweights whiff on concussive blows, and Griffin dances out of the way when Wells jumps with a stomp kick aimed at his knee. Both men miss the mark with looping strikes, just out of range from one another. Wells spins with a wheel kick, and the crook of his knee wraps around the back of Griffin’s head as Griffin times an explosion forward in pursuit of a takedown. The resulting collision pushes Wells back against the fence, and he holds him there without doing much else. Wells slaps Griffin a few times on the ear, and the strange fight comes to a conclusion when the final bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Wells)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Wells)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Wells)

The Official Result
Max Griffin def. Jeremiah Wells via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 4, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Jeremiah Wells

Angelo highlights Jeremiah Wells' well-rounded game, with explosive hands and high-level BJJ, and notes that Wells transitions effortlessly to grappling. He thinks Max Griffin's punches lose power later in fights, and that Wells will get takedowns and grind out a win. He acknowledges Griffin's toughness but believes Wells will be too much, though he will be biting his nails.

"Jeremiah wells should win this fight."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 5, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Big Brady picks Max Griffin as an underdog. He notes that Griffin is bigger, more experienced, has better technical striking and volume, and has good takedown defense. He acknowledges Wells' power and physicality but believes Griffin can win as long as he avoids a big shot.

"I am going to go Max Griffin um a lot of men a lot of reasons to like this guy as a dog here I'm going to take him to win as a dog"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Cody picks Griffin as a dog, noting Wells has fought low-level competition and has cardio issues. Griffin has fought better guys and has sneaky power, with knockdowns in recent fights. Cody thinks Wells will tire in later rounds, and Griffin's wrestling and durability will be key. He sees clear value on Griffin at plus money.

"this is a dog worthy shot"

Bookie Beatdown

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 5, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Jeremiah Wells

Wells is very dangerous early with power and top pressure. Griffin is 38 and has faltered against tougher opponents. Wells should be able to secure an early knockout or grind out a decision. The odds are a bit close, but Wells' power and tenacity should be the difference. Griffin's experience may not be enough to stay away from Wells' danger.

"I think he's going to falter under the power of Jeremiah Wells here whether that's an early knockout which is ultimately going to be my prediction or a grind out over 15 minutes I just don't know if Griffin has …"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Paul also picks Griffin, echoing Cody's points. He notes Wells' opponents have a combined 0-7 record after fighting him, indicating he is being protected. Griffin is a step up in competition and has the skills to win. Paul thinks Griffin's power and experience will be too much for Wells.

"take the dog take the dog take the dog and the dog or pass type of situation"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Jeremiah Wells

The MMA Guru picks Jeremiah Wells because he believes Wells can out-grapple Max Griffin, especially in the first two rounds. He notes that Griffin has shown a tendency to break when put in a losing position. He also thinks Wells has more power on the feet, even if his standup is slightly worse. He does not see Griffin having the submission ability to catch Wells like Carlston Harris did.

"I'm going to go Jeremiah wells plus I think he's got way more power on the feet even if he's a little bit worse in a standup."

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Michael Morales

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Strickland vs. Magomedov · Jul 01, 2023

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Michael Morales	0	36 of 102	35%	39 of 105	0 of 8	0%	0	0	2:10
Max Griffin	0	72 of 164	43%	73 of 165	1 of 1	100%	0	0	0:27

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Michael Morales	11 of 26	42%	13 of 28	0 of 2	0%	1:14
1	Max Griffin	15 of 40	37%	15 of 40	0 of 0	---	0:05
2	Michael Morales	15 of 38	39%	15 of 38	0 of 2	0%	0:05
2	Max Griffin	31 of 70	44%	31 of 70	0 of 0	---	0:02
3	Michael Morales	10 of 38	26%	11 of 39	0 of 4	0%	0:51
3	Max Griffin	26 of 54	48%	27 of 55	1 of 1	100%	0:20

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Michael Morales	36 of 102	35%	28 of 93	4 of 4	4 of 5	35 of 99	1 of 3	0 of 0
Max Griffin	72 of 164	43%	59 of 145	5 of 8	8 of 11	68 of 159	4 of 5	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Michael Morales	11 of 26	42%	8 of 22	1 of 1	2 of 3	11 of 25	0 of 1	0 of 0
1	Max Griffin	15 of 40	37%	9 of 31	3 of 4	3 of 5	13 of 38	2 of 2	0 of 0
2	Michael Morales	15 of 38	39%	10 of 33	3 of 3	2 of 2	14 of 36	1 of 2	0 of 0
2	Max Griffin	31 of 70	44%	30 of 67	1 of 2	0 of 1	29 of 67	2 of 3	0 of 0
3	Michael Morales	10 of 38	26%	10 of 38	0 of 0	0 of 0	10 of 38	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	26 of 54	48%	20 of 47	1 of 2	5 of 5	26 of 54	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Michael Morales
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Morales (-240), Griffin (+200)

Round 1
Welterweights take center stage in the “featured fight of the night” slot, as Griffin (19-9, 7-7 UFC) has clawed his way back towards a .500 record courtesy of four wins in his last five appearances. While the last 14 fights for Griffin have been 50/50, the same cannot be said about opponent Morales (14-0, 2-0 UFC), who is a perfect 14 up and none down. The two are 14 years apart, and referee Kerry Hatley stands guard for the battle of 14s. There is no glove touch, and Griffin is active early on moving from side to side and staying on the outside. “Pain” causes some early pain with low kicks, and he is met with sharp jabs from the unbeaten youngster. Morales reaches his foe with a looping one-two, and he backs off when Griffin kicks the inside of his calf. They both snap out jabs, but Morales’ is faster and prods the nose. Griffin swings and misses, with Morales dancing out of the way of the punches but not the follow-up leg kick. Griffin charges with a stream of punches, and Morales bends over to avoid them and leaps at his man with a jump knee. There is a reset period, and Morales then attacks again with a flying knee that claps off the cup of the American. Griffin waves Hatley off, and he surges into action with a takedown attempt. Morales turns him around and separates, but Griffin is on him and his left hand has developed some swelling on Morales’ right eye. Griffin presses his weight on his opponent, and he gets kneed in the face by the younger man. Morales shakes Griffin off to get away, and he leaps at his opponent with a Superman punch. Morales lands and comes out swinging, and Griffin backs him into the fence with a clubbing right hand. Morales jumps with another kick, and his foot once more bounces into Griffin’s cup. Hatley does not recognize it, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2
The welterweights meet in the middle, and Morales claims the center of the cage and flashes out his jab. Griffin lunges in with a long left hand, and he backs away when Morales jumps at him with a kick. Morales tags Griffin with three punches, and Griffin shakes it out and gets staggered by a right hand. Morales charges into action, throwing so hard he almost falls over, and he rocks Griffin with another overhand right. Griffin sits down on a counter right, but Morales walks through it and is now in stalking mode. Griffin sticks him with a right but eats one right back, and his chin is durable and his counters effective enough to slow Morales down for a moment. Griffin gathers his thoughts and absorbs a jab, and he skirts out of the way when Morales tries to bust him in the chops. Morales flicks out a few jabs to open a cut under Griffin’s left eye, and he stays composed and walks through a body kick to aim a right over the top. Morales lands two more jabs, and Griffin looks for an overhand right and backs away when Morales charges. Griffin lets loose with a leg kick, and he ducks a huge right hand that blows past his hair. Morales swings so hard that Griffin is able to duck it, change levels and go for a takedown. Morales shuts down the attempt and circles away, thanks in part to a kimura threat of his own. Morales pops his foe again with a few jabs, and he resets with a minute left in the round. Griffin blitzes but misses, and Morales nods at him and makes him backpedal. Morales tags Griffin with a Superman punch, and as he pours it on, a knee from up close bumps into Griffin’s cup and forces a 30-second pause. Griffin gets jabbed when they restart, and he throws a simultaneous head kick that is easily blocked. Morales jabs into a high kick, and he raises his arm in the air with a few seconds left in the round to lure Griffin into a slugfest. Morales gets off a few more shots before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Morales

Round 3
Five minutes remain, and it could be tied up going into this last round. They proceed to throw big hands, and Morales eats a left hook and nods. Morales pushes out a jab, and he slides away when Griffin throws a haymaker. Griffin misses with a head kick and attacks a takedown, and he gets nailed with a flying knee. Griffin bounces off the fence and the two gets back to striking range. Griffin tries to close in on his opponent, and he crashes right into Morales’ hip and bounces off the fence. Griffin manages to grab Morales from behind while the Ecuadorian leans against the cage, and he turns around and goes after a double. Lifting the unbeaten fighter off the ground, he dumps Morales down for a second. Morales hits a quick switch to move around and grab hold of Griffin’s back, before they split up. Morales jabs when he gets back to a safe berth, and Griffin responds with an overhand right. Griffin dings Morales with a left and presses him into the clinch, and there is no takedown to be found. Morales stands him up with a few punches after they break, and he jumps with a knee that crashes right into Griffin’s head. Griffin gets kicked low a few times to shake up his balance, and he tries to time a jab with a right hook. Morales leans back to dodge a sweeping left hook, and he takes a deep breath with a minute left. Morales ushers Griffin aside when Griffin charges recklessly, and he tries another jump knee that misses the mark. Griffin walks his foe down, and he chambers a big right hand and connects with it. The impact leads to a clinch, and he gets thrown to the mat by the unbeaten fighter for emphasis. Morales tries to get off some ground-and-pound, but the fight comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Morales)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Morales)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Morales)

The Official Result
Michael Morales def. Max Griffin via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 25, 2023 (6 days before fight)

Michael Morales

Angelo picks Michael Morales, highlighting his credentials as a freestyle wrestling and Muay Thai national champion. He notes Morales's footwork, forward pressure, and clean takedowns. He believes Morales's offensive wrestling will be the difference, though Max Griffin is a live underdog. He mentions the moneyline is already juiced and will wait for props.

waiting for props

"I do think Morales is going to get this done I think the offensive wrestling is going to be the difference here"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 26, 2023 (5 days before fight)

Michael Morales

Big Brady picks Michael Morales to win by decision. He is high on Morales but cautions against the -240 line, noting Max Griffin is a tough veteran who has only been finished once. He thinks the fight will be close and could go to decision, where the UFC's preference for the undefeated prospect may favor Morales. He also notes Morales has multiple paths to win, including a finish or a close decision.

"give me Michael Morales to win this fight and Win It by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 28, 2023 (3 days before fight)

Michael Morales

Cody likes Morales' youth, power, and wrestling background. He notes Morales' wins over Trevin Giles and Adam Fugit show finishing ability. He acknowledges Griffin is a seasoned veteran but points out Griffin's low volume and lack of recent finishes. Cody thinks Morales' power and pressure will be too much, but he will watch the live market in case Griffin teaches him a lesson.

"I lean Morales but minus 250 like it's kind of the price tag that indicates he's going to knock him out and finish them pretty easily"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jun 29, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Michael Morales

Daniel leans Morales due to his athleticism, youth, and potential improvements after a year off, but calls it a 'dog or pass' at -240. He acknowledges Griffin's experience, durability, and knockdown power, and notes Morales' defensive flaws (gets hit clean). He compares the situation to Jamahal Hill's loss to Paul Craig, suggesting a setback wouldn't ruin Morales' future. He is not confident enough to bet, as Griffin's plus-205 price is tempting.

dog or pass situation; Morales minus 240, Griffin plus 205

"I'm gonna lean towards the favorite but it's like clearly dog or pass I think"

Half the Battle

Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Jun 27, 2023 (4 days before fight)

Michael Morales

James briefly mentions this fight in response to a chat question, stating he sees Michael Morales knocking Max Griffin out. He does not elaborate further, but the statement is clear and confident.

"I just see Michael Morales knocking Max Griffin out."

Lucrative MMA

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 28, 2023 (3 days before fight)

Michael Morales

Paul thinks the market is about right. He notes Griffin was taken down three times by Tim Means and that Morales can mix in wrestling. He sees Morales as a high-potential prospect and is not willing to bet against him against an aging Griffin. Paul believes Morales will win, possibly by using his wrestling.

"Morales will be the pick for me as well"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 27, 2023 (4 days before fight)

Michael Morales

The Guru picks Michael Morales, despite some sloppy moments in his last fight against Adam Fugitt. He notes Morales's youth (24), reach advantage, and consistency, while Max Griffin is hit-or-miss and older. He believes Morales's talent is above Griffin's level and predicts a win, possibly a finish.

"I am gonna have to go with Michael Morales here on talent I think he's way above Max Griffin"

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Tim Means

Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Allen · Oct 29, 2022

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Max Griffin	0	47 of 115	40%	143 of 215	3 of 5	60%	0	0	1:27
Tim Means	1	42 of 78	53%	56 of 96	3 of 6	50%	0	0	5:13

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Max Griffin	0	17 of 49	34%	21 of 53	0 of 0	---	0:26
1	Tim Means	1	25 of 42	59%	26 of 43	0 of 2	0%	0:54
2	Max Griffin	0	20 of 53	37%	48 of 83	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Tim Means	0	13 of 29	44%	14 of 31	1 of 2	50%	0:35
3	Max Griffin	0	10 of 13	76%	74 of 79	3 of 5	60%	1:01
3	Tim Means	0	4 of 7	57%	16 of 22	2 of 2	100%	3:44

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Max Griffin	47 of 115	40%	18 of 64	18 of 36	11 of 15	37 of 103	7 of 9	3 of 3
Tim Means	42 of 78	53%	25 of 52	9 of 15	8 of 11	35 of 66	1 of 1	6 of 11

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Max Griffin	17 of 49	34%	8 of 27	3 of 14	6 of 8	13 of 43	4 of 6	0 of 0
1	Tim Means	25 of 42	59%	16 of 29	7 of 9	2 of 4	20 of 34	1 of 1	4 of 7
2	Max Griffin	20 of 53	37%	7 of 32	8 of 15	5 of 6	20 of 53	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Tim Means	13 of 29	44%	5 of 16	2 of 6	6 of 7	13 of 29	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	10 of 13	76%	3 of 5	7 of 7	0 of 1	4 of 7	3 of 3	3 of 3
3	Tim Means	4 of 7	57%	4 of 7	0 of 0	0 of 0	2 of 3	0 of 0	2 of 4

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Tim Means

Round 1
An interesting, all-action welterweight contest will serve as the co-main attraction of this Fight Night event, with a storied veteran battling it out against a man fighting his way back to contention. At 38 years of age, Means (32-13-1, 1 NC; 14-10, 1 NC UFC) is still cruising in the division, with three wins in his last four including a few stellar performances over Nicolas Dalby and Mike Perry in recent memory. While his adversary Griffin (18-9, 6-7 UFC) started off going just 3-6 in the Octagon, he has turned things around as of late with a similar 3-1 stretch as Means. Drawing the assignment is referee Dan Miragliotta, and the 170-pounders do not touch gloves as they want to immediately get down to business. They start trading almost immediately, with rangy punches and chopping low kicks to match the other. Griffin fires a left hand over the top, and a right hand knocks Means down to his backside. Griffin leaps on top to finish the job, and Means latches on to an armbar off his back to keep his man honest and survive the onslaught. As Means continues to work, he turns to his side, grabs hold of a leg and drives Griffin back to the wall. Means separates, and he appears to have his bearings back as he measures a high kick from his lead leg and a body kick from his rear. Means just misses with a knee as Griffin bears down on him with a combination, and he works the calf to slow down the advancing Griffin. “The Dirty Bird” whiffs on a one-two into a head kick, but the calf kick that follows does connect. Griffin throws fire with a right hand to stun Means for a moment, as he chains it into a power punch that Means tanks seemingly without issue. Means continues to do work on the upper calf, making investments as he also strikes the body. Griffin snaps out a jab that gest Means’ attention, and a right hand that follows it stings Means. Means gives chase with a high kick, and Griffin walks through a pair of open-handed slaps so that he can shoot in for a double. Means keeps his balance as they remain clinched until the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2
The welterweights meet in the middle, and Means strikes first in the form of a slapping low kick. The legs from Means continue to fly, and he draws Griffin into a brief but fierce slugfest. The punches turn to slaps for Means, which could signify some sort of damage to a hand, but he shucks any of those concerns by throwing a punch that pops Griffin in the chops. Means keeps Griffin guessing with head kicks, and Griffin finds his way in to land a heavy low kick. Means slaps him upside the head like a Diaz brother, only they are intended as damaging strikes and not disrespectful ones. Griffin jabs his way in, and he blocks a head kick once closing in. Griffin intercepts a rushing Means with a kick to the lead calf, and Means winces and tries to pay Griffin back. Means cuts his opponent off as he advances, and this slows the offense coming back his direction. Means works the body with a left and a right, and he slides back to plant the ball of his foot on the breadbasket before Griffin can land him. The two trade body kicks, and Means jumps at his adversary with a knee that glances off the side. Griffin considers a level change, and as this fails, he hops back. Means hammers a low kick on the inside of the knee, and this slows the movement momentarily. Means walks face-first into a right hand, and this rocks Means and separates him from his balance. As Means falls to the ground, Griffin finds himself taking top position while punching the side. They trade short blows as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 3
Means comes out of his corner aggressively, and he strikes his way into a takedown effort. Griffin stuffs it and drops to his knees, and Means smashes his own knee into the sternum. Griffin reels and whirls around to counter Means’ takedown with his own attempt, and he manages to suck Means’ legs out and drag him to the floor. Means squeezes tightly to keep Griffin pinned to him, and he lands several heel strikes to the thigh as he constantly remains busy off his back with irritating blows. Griffin remains heavy with top pressure and not willing to sit up and fall into potential submission danger, as he wisely grinds out and considers a guard pass. Means turns to his side in an effort to escape, but Griffin hangs on to keep him trapped. Means scoots his back to the wall, only for “Pain” to yank him back down. When Griffin postures up to rain down blows, Means attacks with a submission attempt that he uses to stand back up. Griffin pressures him against the wall and locks his hands with a double, and this sets Means on his seat again much to the disappointment of “The Dirty Bird.” Means continues to smack Griffin with short, frustrating strikes to the body and head, all while working his way to his knees to get upright. Griffin pursues a single, and he lowers his head right into a knee that Means cracks him with. Means takes Griffin down to turn the tables, and he rips the body with a fierce knee before securing a double with seconds to spare. For one final exclamation point, Means lifts his opponent up and slams him down hard. The fight comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Means (29-28 Griffin)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (30-27 Griffin)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (30-27 Griffin)

The Official Result
Max Griffin def. Tim Means via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2022 (4 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Big Brady picks Max Griffin to win by second-round knockout. He notes that Griffin's power has improved recently, as seen in his knockout of Aalon Cruz, while Means' durability has declined with age and damage. He mentions that Means has been hurt in recent fights by lesser punchers, and Griffin's durability is excellent. He expects Griffin to land hard shots and finish Means.

Griffin wins by second-round knockout

"give me Max Griffin by knockout I'll say like a second round knockout"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 26, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Cody acknowledges Tim Means' plus money appeal but points to Means' durability issues at 38 years old and his tendency to fade in later rounds. He notes that Means has been relying more on wrestling as he ages, but Max Griffin has good takedown defense (as seen against Neil Magny) and a solid jab. Cody expects Griffin to beat Means to the jab, stuff takedowns, and eventually land a big shot or win two rounds. He is not betting the fight but picks Griffin.

"I gotta stay with Max Griffin although I don't fault you for maybe taking that live Underdog shot on Timmy so I'm not taking the shot on Timmy it's 38 years like it isn't it isn't very pretty at this …"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Oct 26, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Daniel Levi picks Max Griffin, citing his momentum, confidence, and aspirations to break into the top 15. He notes Griffin's dangerous striking and recent close fight with Neil Magny. He questions Tim Means' durability and suggests Means may be near retirement. However, he has no interest in laying the -190 price and will just watch.

"I'm a pickaxe Griffin I just don't have any interest in laying the price so I'm personally gonna sit back and enjoy two true vets of the game go at it."

Half the Battle

Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2022 (4 days before fight)

Tim Means

Jacob picks Tim Means, expecting him to survive Griffin's early power and then wear him down with pace, pressure, and wrestling. He compares it to Griffin's fight with Neil Magny, where Griffin faded. Jacob thinks Means wins by decision.

Tim Means by decision

"I gotta go with the dirty bird Tim Means to get it done"

We Want Picks

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Oct 27, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Griffin has athletic advantages and more left in the tank compared to Means, who is slowing down. Means has better combinations but Griffin's power could catch him. Griffin by knockout at +250 is appealing, but no bet at the current moneyline. Live betting Griffin if Means has early success is a potential strategy.

Griffin by knockout +250

"Griffin via knock it at plus 250 definitely tickles my fancy I like that spot but no bet for me at that minus 200 range"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Oct 26, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Tim Means

Paul leans toward Tim Means as a dog, expecting a close stand-up fight where Means may get a hot start. However, he admits Means' cardio and durability are concerns, and he does not love the bet. He picks Means for the show but says he won't bet it, noting the over 2.5 rounds at -160 seems about right.

Over 2.5 rounds at -160 (mentioned as about right)

"I'm leaning as a dog or pass but I don't think it's gonna get my money I'll pick Tim Means for the purposes of this show but trust me I don't love it I'm not gonna bet it"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2022 (4 days before fight)

Max Griffin

The MMA Guru picks Max Griffin over Tim Means, believing Griffin's calf kicks will be effective against Means' heavy lead leg. He notes Griffin's improved boxing and ability to drop opponents, as seen against Neil Magny. He thinks Means, at 38 and coming off a loss to Kevin Holland, will struggle with Griffin's pressure and predicts Griffin wins by 29-28 decision, taking over as the fight goes on.

"I'm going Max Griffin... I love the calf kicks of Max Griffin against Tim Means"

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Neil Magny

Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Daukaus · Mar 26, 2022

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Neil Magny	0	54 of 144	37%	104 of 204	1 of 9	11%	0	0	4:33
Max Griffin	1	67 of 123	54%	75 of 132	0 of 2	0%	0	0	0:39

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Neil Magny	0	16 of 53	30%	17 of 54	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Max Griffin	1	30 of 48	62%	31 of 49	0 of 0	---	0:13
2	Neil Magny	0	26 of 71	36%	28 of 73	0 of 4	0%	0:32
2	Max Griffin	0	30 of 59	50%	30 of 59	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Neil Magny	0	12 of 20	60%	59 of 77	1 of 5	20%	4:01
3	Max Griffin	0	7 of 16	43%	14 of 24	0 of 2	0%	0:26

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Neil Magny	54 of 144	37%	42 of 126	10 of 13	2 of 5	42 of 130	12 of 14	0 of 0
Max Griffin	67 of 123	54%	34 of 87	11 of 13	22 of 23	63 of 113	2 of 6	2 of 4

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Neil Magny	16 of 53	30%	10 of 44	4 of 6	2 of 3	16 of 53	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Max Griffin	30 of 48	62%	10 of 25	4 of 6	16 of 17	28 of 44	0 of 0	2 of 4
2	Neil Magny	26 of 71	36%	22 of 64	4 of 5	0 of 2	23 of 68	3 of 3	0 of 0
2	Max Griffin	30 of 59	50%	19 of 48	6 of 6	5 of 5	30 of 58	0 of 1	0 of 0
3	Neil Magny	12 of 20	60%	10 of 18	2 of 2	0 of 0	3 of 9	9 of 11	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	7 of 16	43%	5 of 14	1 of 1	1 of 1	5 of 11	2 of 5	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Max Griffin vs. Neil Magny

Round 1
Two welterweights in their mid-30s are about to go to battle, when longtime vet Magny (25-8, 18-7 UFC) tries to inflict pain on “Pain” Griffin (18-8, 6-6 UFC). The third man inside the Octagon will be nonsense-free referee Keith Peterson for this battle, and they gladly touch gloves before getting after it. They then lead off with kicks, one after the other. Magny works the body while Griffin goes low, with sweeping calf kicks coming at the long legs of Magny. Magny pumps out a jab, and he gets hurt with a right hand that makes him cover up. Griffin does not give chase, and Magny is able to recover from the damaging blow as the pace slows down. Magny kicks the midsection, and Griffin recklessly throws hands. Magny blocks the brunt of the blows and brawls back with him briefly, before bouncing back to bide his time. Griffin continues to work on Magny’s calf to decent effect, making the taller man switch stances a few times. Magny walks forward with a standing elbow, only to get smashed in the face with a jackhammering right hand that completely knocks Magny off his feet. Magny looks shocked from the blow, and Griffin does not dive on top of him, instead letting him back up so that he can strike some more. Magny does not panic, instead walking his way back in the fight and protecting himself from the swiping strikes that come at him. Magny walks him down, and Griffin turns tail and runs from one end of the cage to the other. Magny jabs out several times, using his range to peck at “Pain,” and he follows one with a sharp right hand that makes Griffin stumble. Griffin returns fire with a left hand among intermittent leg kicks, and Magny snipes him with long punches. Magny chambers and unloads kicks from both legs, and a straight right hand comes down the pipe and splits the guard. Griffin returns fire with punches to the body, and Magny punches his way forward only for Griffin again duck and run. It may not look great for fans, but it allows him to reset in a safe place away from the fencing. Griffin dips in with a left uppercut, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2
The welterweights stride out of their corners and immediately start brawling, with both men landing flush on the other. Griffin trips his man up with a low kick after landing punches, and Magny fires off a right hand that reaches his foe backing up. Magny looks to tie him up and pursue some sort of body lock, but Griffin hops away and resets his position. Griffin boots Magny in the side, and Magny wears it well and fires back with a one-two. Magny crowds his opponent, and Griffin catches him a few times with low kicks. “Pain” causes some pain with an eye poke from his thumb, and Magny backs away in pain as Peterson makes sure there is no nonsense to come during his watch. Magny blinks it out and is ready to begin again shortly after the pause, and when they resume, Griffin lands a punch on that same side of Magny’s face. Magny toughs it out and connects with a heavy body kick, causing Griffin to back away and rethink his position. Griffin charges suddenly, bullying Magny back as he lands with heavy punches. Magny shells up effectively, but he gets his nose marked up from the punches as Griffin reaches him first. Magny strings together a solid combination that stings Griffin, and Griffin responds with a heavy right hand. These two are trading heavily, and both are wearing it, but Magny appears to get the better of the exchanges as Griffin is the one forced to backpedal. Magny grabs a hand and slugs Griffin with his other hand, and he changes levels deftly to pursue a single. Trapping one of Griffin’s legs between his own, he nearly puts “Pain” on his back, but Griffin yanks his leg back and gets some space to circle away. Griffin clubs Magny with heavy hands, and Magny responds with powerful blows of his own. Magny gives chase when Griffin tries to escape, but he cannot quite catch him on the way out. Griffin targets the body and aims a right hand over the top, and he is able to block a jump knee from “The Haitian Sensation.” In a clinch position, Magny snags hold of a Thai plum and slams Griffin in the face with elbows and knees, and he lets go right before the round ends, eating a right hand at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magny
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magny
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Magny

Round 3
Magny strikes first to open the last round, and Griffin swings punches right back at him. The first 15 seconds are a torrid brawl, landing one after the other as they try to shoulder roll the strikes. Griffin punches his way into a clinch situation, where Magny capitalizes on it with a knee to the body as he pressures “Pain” to go after a single. Griffin keeps his balance against the cage wall, all while Magny lumps his thigh up with loud knees. Magny gets a hook in as he looks to secure standing back control, and he trips out Griffin’s leg to drag him down to the canvas. Riding on Griffin’s back and using his weight to keep Griffin stuck on a knee, Magny gets off several punches as Griffin looks to be struggling. Magny considers a choke attempt, but Griffin has a tight hold of Magny’s right wrist to prevent any submissions. This does leave Magny’s left arm free, and Magny utilizes it to the fullest by smacking Griffin upside the head repeatedly. Magny sits down on Griffin to grind on him and disallow “Pain” from muscling up to his feet, all while he softens Griffin up with punches. Griffin is stuck on his hands and knees as Magny begins to overwhelm him, and a few of the blows hurt Griffin. Magny gets a little overzealous in this position, and Griffin slides out the backdoor to stand back up. Magny does not let him get away with it, as he blasts him with knees up against the clinch and turning him around in pursuit of another single. When that does not succeed, Magny elects to start ripping elbows up top. Griffin grimaces to stay on his feet, as Magny bails on the try to smash him with painful knees. Griffin explodes to try to get out of the bad spot, and Magny lifts him in the air and slams him down on his head like a piledriver one would see in pro wrestling. Even though spiking the head or neck is illegal under the Unified Rules, this seems to be acceptable because of how thrilling it was, as the crowd leaps to its feet. A few standing-to-ground punches land for “The Haitian Sensation” until the final horn blares, putting an end to one of the more entertaining matches of the card thus far. Should Magny get his hand raised, he will tie former champ Georges St. Pierre for the most wins in UFC welterweight history, but the first two rounds were quite close.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magny (29-28 Magny)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magny (29-28 Magny)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Magny (29-28 Magny)

The Official Result
Neil Magny def. Max Griffin via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Mar 20, 2022 (6 days before fight)

Neil Magny

Angelo picks Neil Magny but calls it a razor thin fight that should be closer to a pick'em. He acknowledges Magny is more well-rounded but notes Max Griffin's 70% takedown defense and power in his hands pose real danger. He thinks the odds are too wide in Magny's favor.

"i do like neil to win but i actually think this is a razor thin fight i think this should be closer to a pickum"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 21, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Neil Magny

Big Brady picks Neil Magny to win by decision. He cites Magny's advantages in height, reach, experience, and competition level. He notes that Griffin has been looking good but against lower-level opponents, and that Griffin doesn't wrestle enough to exploit Magny's takedown defense. Brady believes Magny will win wherever the fight goes.

Neil Magny wins by decision

"I gotta go magni I think he's going to win this fight by decision."

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Mar 21, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Neil Magny

Cody agrees with Magny, highlighting his cardio and grappling advantage. He thinks Magny can control the fight with takedowns and pressure. He notes Griffin's power but believes Magny's volume and wrestling will be decisive.

"i think it's a neo magnet is a pretty decent pick all the way around"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Mar 24, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Neil Magny

Daniel Levi picks Neil Magny, noting his length, volume, and underrated wrestling. He says Magny is a nightmare matchup for most and has a history of overperforming as an underdog. He respects Griffin's resurgence but thinks Magny's fight IQ and experience will edge him out. He would not lay -230 but would have taken Magny at under -190.

Magny by decision, would bet Magny at under -190

"I think magni does win this fight... maggie's just so smart man he's just so good"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 23, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Neil Magny

The host is very confident in Magny, praising his pressure, clinch work, and durability. He believes Magny will push Griffin backwards, beat him in the clinch and on the ground, and that Griffin cannot handle Magny's pace. He calls the line a gift and expects a dominant decision win.

Magny by decision

"i really like neomagne in the spot i think this line is a little bit of a gift honestly i think he makes this look like a minus 400 performance"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Mar 21, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Neil Magny

Paul picks Magny, citing his cardio, durability, and wrestling. He thinks Magny can out-volume Griffin and take him down. He notes Griffin's lack of takedown defense against wrestlers. He sees Magny as a solid parlay piece.

parlay piece

"i got neil magni i think i really like what he does in terms of game planning"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 21, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Neil Magny

The MMA Guru picks Neil Magny over Max Griffin, despite sensing a possible Griffin upset. He notes Griffin's close contests with lesser opponents and red flags in his record, while Magny has beaten ranked opponents and has a reach advantage. The Guru predicts Magny will win a 29-28 decision using control time against the cage, body shots, and takedowns, though he acknowledges Griffin could land calf kicks early.

"i'm gonna go with neil magne over max griffin"

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Carlos Condit

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3 · Jul 10, 2021

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Max Griffin	0	63 of 176	35%	66 of 179	0 of 4	0%	0	0	0:00
Carlos Condit	1	93 of 171	54%	95 of 173	1 of 1	100%	0	0	1:11

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Max Griffin	0	13 of 42	30%	13 of 42	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Carlos Condit	1	34 of 61	55%	34 of 61	0 of 0	---	0:14
2	Max Griffin	0	28 of 68	41%	28 of 68	0 of 2	0%	0:00
2	Carlos Condit	0	29 of 48	60%	30 of 49	0 of 0	---	0:02
3	Max Griffin	0	22 of 66	33%	25 of 69	0 of 2	0%	0:00
3	Carlos Condit	0	30 of 62	48%	31 of 63	1 of 1	100%	0:55

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Max Griffin	63 of 176	35%	35 of 134	17 of 30	11 of 12	61 of 173	2 of 3	0 of 0
Carlos Condit	93 of 171	54%	59 of 129	6 of 11	28 of 31	81 of 153	2 of 2	10 of 16

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Max Griffin	13 of 42	30%	3 of 27	6 of 11	4 of 4	13 of 42	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Carlos Condit	34 of 61	55%	18 of 41	0 of 1	16 of 19	24 of 45	0 of 0	10 of 16
2	Max Griffin	28 of 68	41%	17 of 51	7 of 12	4 of 5	28 of 67	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Carlos Condit	29 of 48	60%	18 of 34	2 of 5	9 of 9	28 of 47	1 of 1	0 of 0
3	Max Griffin	22 of 66	33%	15 of 56	4 of 7	3 of 3	20 of 64	2 of 2	0 of 0
3	Carlos Condit	30 of 62	48%	23 of 54	4 of 5	3 of 3	29 of 61	1 of 1	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Carlos Condit vs. Max Griffin

Round 1
The prelims will be capped off by a welterweight battle that sees “The Natural Born Killer” Condit (32-13, 9-9 UFC) try to go on a three-fight win streak against the heavy-handed Griffin (17-8, 5-6 UFC). Depending on the result, either Condit will fall below .500 in the UFC or Griffin will rise to that level, barring an unusual turn of events. Referee Marc Goddard will keep a watchful eye on the violence that is about to be bestowed in the cage, and the fighters do not touch gloves before inflicting said violence. Griffin charges out of his corner to attack, with a low kick and several high kicks to sends the former WEC champ backing away. Condit greets him with a few punches to back him off, and he puts together a combination and a head kick that gets slapped away. Griffin chops down Condit’s lead leg multiple times, and Condit’s calf is already reddening from them. Condit fires off a body kick, and he cannot get out of the way from another leg kick. Griffin walks through a punch to land a heavier one, and his leg kick that follows spins Condit around. “The Natural Born Killer” does not block the kicks or check them, and he tries to go after Griffin with his own but Griffin is right there with another. Condit turns about with another few kicks, and the damage is mounting fast as Condit appears to be struggling with it. Condit chips at the calf and then the body, but he absorbs one more low kick. Condit is forced to switch stances, and Griffin greets the change of position with one on the other leg. Condit marches forward to attack, only to get his lead leg chopped down beneath him. Condit ducks down into a right hand, and Griffin slips it and comes back with an overhand right. Condit just comes up short with a counter right hand when Griffin advances, and he does kick the body successful on the way out. Griffin’s leg kick makes Condit pick it up and try to move with it, and the ex-champ strides in and kicks the body. Condit’s calves are swelling up fast, and he tries to connect with a spinning kick but gets pushed back. Griffin blasts him with a right hand, sending Condit crashing into the wall and down to the ground. Griffin looks for a finish, delivering some heavy ground-and-pound, but Condit threatens with an offensive guard and survives to fight his way back to his feet. Condit jumps at his foe with a flying knee, and Griffin sits down on a leg kick and takes a right hand on the chin. Condit marches forward to brawl, and Griffin is there to greet him until he ducks out of the way to avoid most of the danger before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2
The second round begins with both fighters meeting in the center of the Octagon, but neither commit to any strikes until Condit launches a head kick. Griffin blocks it and targets Condit’s lead leg with impunity, and the former champ can do nothing but take it. Condit takes a traditional martial arts stance as he looks to wind up a side kick, and he steps in to clinch and drill Griffin in the chin with a knee. Condit catches Griffin on the end of a right hand to send “Pain” staggering back, but it is likely out of balance and not damage. Griffin gains his composure and fires off a right hand, and he beats Condit to the punch with a follow-up jab. Condit ducks down into a leg kick, and he gets off a body kick but is countered on the way out. Condit checks a leg kick for the first time, and he whiffs on a body kick but sprints forward with a trip and throw takedown. Griffin manages to get back to his feet, only to meet a right hand from Condit. Condit sits down on a right hand as well, and a left to the body follows. Griffin keeps his right hand up high to counter Condit, and he takes a kick to the body while watching Condit’s movement. Condit’s pace appears to be growing while Griffin’s is decreasing, and Condit advances with a spinning kick that bounces off his intended target. Griffin scores a leg kick, and Condit ducks down to trip his foe but cannot achieve it. Condit unloads with several punches to the head and body, and he marks up Griffin with a clean right hand. Condit reaches forward with an elbow, a right hand, and a cartwheel kick that comes up short. Condit ignores a low kick to crack Griffin on the chin, and “The Natural Born Killer” ignores a leg kick so that he can continue to strike. Griffin times Condit when Condit darts forward with a right hand, and Condit leads the dance and boots “Pain” in the side with a kick. Griffin pushes Condit away and the two jab at the same time, and Condit slips and delivers a right hand. Condit dips in with a left hand and a head kick, and the round ends when Griffin kicks him back.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Condit
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Condit
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Condit

Round 3
Between rounds, we can see the damage on Condit’s nose, but he pays it no mind and is ready for the final frame. Condit offers a glove touch, and Griffin pushes his hand away and tries to get off an overhand right. Condit ducks down and clocks Griffin in the chin with a head kick, but the Californian eats it like a steak. Griffin blitzes forward to attack, and he clubs Condit with a few punches to make “The Natural Born Killer” fall into the cage wall. Condit catches a body kick, and he pushes Griffin over to force Griffin to roll through and get back up. As Griffin tries to stand up, Condit batters him with strikes, until Griffin gathers his thoughts and starts to land hard hooks. Griffin scores single punches square on the chin, and Condit walks through them and throws right back at him. Condit slips one such punch to land a left hand, and Griffin stands tall and scores again. A three-punch combination stands Condit up, but Condit is not concerned and instead is fired up as he strings together a length combination to back Griffin up. At the end of a salvo, Condit tags Griffin with a right hand, and Griffin looks for a right hand counter but comes up short. Condit jabs out and flusters Griffin for a moment, before stepping in with an elbow. Condit advances with long, stinging jabs, and he walks face-first into a right hand that he completely ignores. Condit digs a left hand to the body and draws a pained reaction out of “Pain,” and he shoots in for a takedown to keep Griffin guessing. The takedown does not succeed, but Condit is able to knee in the body a few times. Griffin smashes Condit in the face with a right hand, and he bullies Condit into the fence and hits a takedown. Griffin takes half guard, but Condit rolls and is able to stand up after briefly threatening with an armbar. Griffin clings on to him for one final takedown try, and Condit attacks with a kimura and a guillotine but neither are there. Condit drops down to attack a leg of his opponent, and he takes Griffin’s back at the bell. This is going to be a close one.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Griffin)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Griffin)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Griffin)

The Official Result
Max Griffin def. Carlos Condit via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 2, 2021 (8 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Angelo picks Griffin despite rooting for Condit. He notes Condit is slowing down at 37, while Griffin is faster and stronger. He thinks Griffin's speed and power will overcome Condit's technical advantages. He has Griffin in his DraftKings lineup.

"i have max griffin winning this fight uh i'll be rooting for carlos condit kind of because i also do have max griffin in my draftkings lineup"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 4, 2021 (6 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Big Brady picks Max Griffin to win by decision. He emphasizes that Griffin should use his wrestling, as Condit has been taken down in every fight where opponents attempted takedowns. He notes Griffin averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes with 51% accuracy. He thinks the striking will be close but the takedowns will be the difference. He mentions Condit's recent wins over Court McGee and Matt Brown but notes McGee didn't wrestle, which was a mistake.

"i'm going to take max griffin to win i'm going to take him to win by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Cody picks Griffin but prefers the submission prop at 20-1 on DraftKings. He notes Griffin's wrestling advantage and believes his best path is takedowns and submissions. He thinks Griffin can win by submission despite no UFC subs, citing Condit's vulnerability.

Griffin by submission at +2000 on DraftKings; Griffin by decision at +135

"give me the 20 to one on a minus 190 favorite in what i believe is his best path to victory"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jul 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Carlos Condit

Daniel Levi picks Carlos Condit as a slight lean, acknowledging it's an illogical pick. He admits Condit is past his prime and that Griffin probably should win by decision using top control. However, he respects Condit's veteran savvy and believes he can do something sneaky to pull off an upset. He notes that Condit still has fight in him, as seen in the Oliveira fight where he almost got a submission. He is not confident in the pick.

"i'm gonna i'm gonna edge connor to do something sneaky and upset a lot of people"

Half the Battle

Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jul 2, 2021 (8 days before fight)

Carlos Condit

Jacob picks Condit, citing his recent performances and value at 7500. He notes Condit has never been knocked out and has looked great against Matt Brown. He thinks Condit's experience and takedowns will be key. He compares Condit's potential run to Glover Teixeira's late-career surge.

"i honestly think carlos conda at 7 500 is one of the best values on this card"

We Want Picks

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

I like Max Griffin here. Condit's takedown defense is terrible (35% defense), and Griffin has good pressure and takedowns. Condit hasn't submitted anyone in the UFC, and Griffin's cardio is good enough to grind out a decision. I expect Griffin to land takedowns and control the fight, winning by decision. The line might seem wide, but I trust Griffin to exploit Condit's weakness.

Griffin by decision, over 2.5 rounds

"i like max griffin here... i think griffin by decision the line might seem a little bit wide to some people which is why i understand excuse me why some people might be taking carlos conant in the spot but …"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Max Griffin

Paul picks Griffin by decision at +135. He notes Griffin's wrestling and volume striking, and Condit's durability. He thinks Griffin will use takedowns to secure rounds. He doesn't like the moneyline at -190.

Griffin by decision at +135

"i'm gonna go with a griffin by decision but uh you know i the confidence level not not where i'd wanted just to slam that"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 10, 2021 (fight day)

Carlos Condit

The Guru picks Condit by 29-28 unanimous decision in an upset. He expects Griffin to win the first round by landing big shots on Condit's chin, but Condit's chin will hold up. As the fight goes on, Condit will invest in body shots, leg kicks, and takedowns, mixing in grappling and counter hooks. Griffin will become boxing-heavy and head-hunt, while Condit circles out and lands. The Guru sees Condit taking the second and third rounds with a more varied attack.

"i'm gonna go with carlos condit here by decision in an upset i think max griffin is good i think he's gonna be doing good early in this fight but as the rounds go on i think condit will make …"

THE MMA GURU

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