Max Griffin didn’t know who he was going to fight next.
Griffin took on Neil Magny at UFC Columbus back in March and lost a split decision in a very close fight. It could’ve gone either way but right after the fight, Mick Maynard went up to him and told him that he and Dana White both thought he should have won. With that, they were going to pay him his win bonus but it left Griffin confused.
“I learned a lot,” Griffin said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “It was interesting – I didn’t think I lost – but right after the fight Mick Maynard came into the medical tent and said ‘hey, me and Dana thought you won, we are going to pay you your win money.’ So, that cash softened the blow but I didn’t know how to feel because I lost, but Dana said I won and paid me so they really thought I won. It is what it is.”
After a few months went by with no offer, Griffin got the call to face Tim Means at UFC Vegas 63 which he was excited about. He knows Means is a game opponent and someone that will stand and trade with him which has only helped motivate Griffin in training.
“I didn’t know who they were going to give me after the last one. But, once I saw the Tim Means name I was like, hell yeah, let’s do that,” Griffin said. “I respect the guy a lot. I actually know him from when I fought Colby (Covington) in my debut, I went to the hot tub and Tim Means is in the hot tub and we talked and he gave me a lot of advice. He’s good people, I like him, he’s tough, durable, down to fight, he really just wants to fight. I love it, I love the matchup, it was inevitable but business.”
Although Max Griffin knows Tim Means is durable and can take some shots, he knows his weakness is getting submitted. With that, ‘Pain’ believes he will eventually be too much for Means on the feet and force him into a bad shot that leads to Griffin getting the submission win.
“I will beat him up and submit him. I have a lot (to work with),” Griffin said. “What I like about Tim is he’s a real fighter and will plant his feet and trade which will bring the best out of me as I’m fighting a guy like myself.”
If Griffin does get the stoppage win he’s after, he isn’t sure what that will do for him. Instead, he says he doesn’t care who he fights as he just wants to be active and be in entertaining scraps.
“I don’t even care anymore. At the end of the day, if I beat Magny I would’ve been number nine, ranked, not ranked, champion, whoever. Line them up,” Griffin concluded.
Who do you think will win, Max Griffin or Tim Means?