Overview :
Forrest Griffin displayed in his UFC 86 fight against Rampage Jackson that by fighting with a superior, disciplined battle plan designed to weaken his component's core and utilize his own strengths, an underdog can defeat a heavy favorite.
Basically, Forrest Griffin masterfully executed his game plan of the following components to overcome Rampage Jackson via unanimous decision :
1. Leg kicks to shake Rampage's foundation :
Every man's base are his legs, and even if you're a beast like Rampage, if you don't have your legs, your chances of winning are reduced dramatically. From the opening bell, Forrest Griffin went after Jackson's legs. Although, he had been knocked down by Jackson in the first round, Griffin's persistent leg-kicking had Rampage wobbly by the end of the round.
In Round 2, Griffin unleashed his leg kicks full force, and his pain infliction on Rampage enabled him to take Rampage Jackson. He went for the standing guillotine choke, but when that didn't work, he went on top of Rampage, gained full mount and gave Rampage a steady dose of short range elbows, and almost submitted him.
2. A disciplined boxing game :
The leg kicks allowed Forrest Griffin to take Rampage Jackson out of his game plan, but it was the boxing that allowed Griffin to give Rampage a steady dose of the leg kicks. Griffin continually pressed the action with his constant movement and one-twos.
The combination of the pain in his legs and the chaos created by the constant movement and left-rights messed with Rampage's head and totally took Rampage out of the fight psychologically. Rampage Jackson ended up displaying very little of his action style that he displayed in knocking out Chuck Liddell and beating Dan Henderson. Instead of zigzagging, Rampage moved mostly back and forth, and occasionally moved side to side. He was unable to sustain any kind of rhythm, and he displayed none of his range-traversing fluidity.
3. Paying attention to the details of groundfighting :
What sealed the deal for Forrest Griffin were the little details that he paid attention to in his grappling. Whenever he was taken down by Rampage, he clung to Rampage like a suction cup, so that Rampage could not pound him senseless. Also, in Round 4, when a failed triangle choke attempt from underneath could have turned him into another Ricardo Arona, he unbuckled Jackson's hold just in time so that he wouldn't be powerbombed full force.
Summary :
It is obvious from the way that Forrest Griffin fought that he thoroughly prepared himself to fight Rampage Jackson : Forrest shook Rampage's whole foundation with his painful leg kicks ; even though he knew he couldn't knock out Rampage with his hands, he never stopped moving his feet or throwing his one-twos.
In turn, his hands set up more leg kicks, and more pain for Rampage. Forrest did take some hard hits from Rampage, but he didn't take so many that he would lose the fight. Even when Rampage took Griffin to the ground via knockdowns or takedowns, he did whatever he could to neutralize Rampage's strength and position advantage by sticking to Rampage like glue.
Coming into the fight, Forrest Griffin had to fight the fight of his life to beat Rampage Jackson, who is as hot as any fighter in the UFC. Most people, myself included, didn't think Forrest would fight that fight, as chances of someone fighting that well aren't really high. But Forrest Griffin, just like he outgamed Shogun Rua, outdid Rampage Jackson, and is now the proud UFC light heavyweight champion!
Forrest Griffin displayed in his UFC 86 fight against Rampage Jackson that by fighting with a superior, disciplined battle plan designed to weaken his component's core and utilize his own strengths, an underdog can defeat a heavy favorite.
Basically, Forrest Griffin masterfully executed his game plan of the following components to overcome Rampage Jackson via unanimous decision :
1. Leg kicks to shake Rampage's foundation :
Every man's base are his legs, and even if you're a beast like Rampage, if you don't have your legs, your chances of winning are reduced dramatically. From the opening bell, Forrest Griffin went after Jackson's legs. Although, he had been knocked down by Jackson in the first round, Griffin's persistent leg-kicking had Rampage wobbly by the end of the round.
In Round 2, Griffin unleashed his leg kicks full force, and his pain infliction on Rampage enabled him to take Rampage Jackson. He went for the standing guillotine choke, but when that didn't work, he went on top of Rampage, gained full mount and gave Rampage a steady dose of short range elbows, and almost submitted him.
2. A disciplined boxing game :
The leg kicks allowed Forrest Griffin to take Rampage Jackson out of his game plan, but it was the boxing that allowed Griffin to give Rampage a steady dose of the leg kicks. Griffin continually pressed the action with his constant movement and one-twos.
The combination of the pain in his legs and the chaos created by the constant movement and left-rights messed with Rampage's head and totally took Rampage out of the fight psychologically. Rampage Jackson ended up displaying very little of his action style that he displayed in knocking out Chuck Liddell and beating Dan Henderson. Instead of zigzagging, Rampage moved mostly back and forth, and occasionally moved side to side. He was unable to sustain any kind of rhythm, and he displayed none of his range-traversing fluidity.
3. Paying attention to the details of groundfighting :
What sealed the deal for Forrest Griffin were the little details that he paid attention to in his grappling. Whenever he was taken down by Rampage, he clung to Rampage like a suction cup, so that Rampage could not pound him senseless. Also, in Round 4, when a failed triangle choke attempt from underneath could have turned him into another Ricardo Arona, he unbuckled Jackson's hold just in time so that he wouldn't be powerbombed full force.
Summary :
It is obvious from the way that Forrest Griffin fought that he thoroughly prepared himself to fight Rampage Jackson : Forrest shook Rampage's whole foundation with his painful leg kicks ; even though he knew he couldn't knock out Rampage with his hands, he never stopped moving his feet or throwing his one-twos.
In turn, his hands set up more leg kicks, and more pain for Rampage. Forrest did take some hard hits from Rampage, but he didn't take so many that he would lose the fight. Even when Rampage took Griffin to the ground via knockdowns or takedowns, he did whatever he could to neutralize Rampage's strength and position advantage by sticking to Rampage like glue.
Coming into the fight, Forrest Griffin had to fight the fight of his life to beat Rampage Jackson, who is as hot as any fighter in the UFC. Most people, myself included, didn't think Forrest would fight that fight, as chances of someone fighting that well aren't really high. But Forrest Griffin, just like he outgamed Shogun Rua, outdid Rampage Jackson, and is now the proud UFC light heavyweight champion!
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