Rivalries: Max Griffin

Max Griffin seems to have settled in as a trusted gatekeeper in the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight division.

The former Tachi Palace Fights and West Coast Fighting Championship titleholder will square off with Tim Means in a featured UFC Fight Night 213 attraction on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Griffin, 36, has compiled a 6-7 record across his 13 appearances inside the Octagon. Victories over “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” Season 2 winner Erick Montano, Fortis MMA’s Ramiz Brahimaj and onetime World Extreme Cagefighting champion Carlos Condit anchor his resume.

As Griffin approaches his confrontation with Means at 170 pounds, a look at a few of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:

Colby Covington

The abrasive American Top Team export turned away Griffin with punches in the third round of their UFC 202 welterweight prelim on Aug. 20, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Covington brought it to a close 2:18 into Round 3. The two-time NCAA All-American wrestler overwhelmed Griffin with technical superiority. Covington executed multiple takedowns in all three rounds and navigated the promotional newcomer’s guard with ease. He was particularly dominant in Round 2, where he achieved full mount twice and assaulted Griffin with ground-and-pound. Covington secured another takedown inside the first 30 seconds of the third period, moved to a dominant position and sealed the deal with a sustained burst of unanswered left hands to the head.

Mike Perry

Griffin recorded what was at the time the most significant victory of his career when he took a unanimous decision from “Platinum Mike” in their UFC on Fox 28 welterweight showcase on Feb. 24, 2018 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Scores were 29-27, 29-27 and 30-27. Perry saw his aggression counteracted by clean, efficient punching. Griffin opened multiple cuts on the Florida-based Michigan native and remained calm under unnerving pressure, playing the matador to Perry’s bull. He floored and nearly finished Perry in the second round, where he connected with a beautiful straight right-left hook combination. Once it became clear a stoppage was not in the offing, Griffin circled out of danger and returned to the approach that served him well throughout the fight. Perhaps sensing he was behind on points, a battered and bloodied Perry pressed the issue in the third round—and it almost paid off. He buzzed the tower with an overhand right, a left hook-right hook combination and a head kick, to no avail. Griffin staggered and backpedaled but managed to keep his head clear enough to ride out the decision.

Thiago Alves

The onetime contender eked out a contentious split decision over Griffin in their memorable three-round battle as part of the UFC Fight Night 144 undercard on Feb. 2, 2019 at the Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil. All three cageside judges struck 29-28 scorecards: Michael Bell for Griffin, Guilherme Bravo and Hallison Pontes for Alves. Griffin had the Brazilian teetering on the brink more than once in the first round, where he piled up points with a sharp jab while mixing in the occasional head kick and right cross. In the waning moments of the period, he dropped Alves with a knee strike and chopping right hand, only to be cut off by the bell. “Pitbull” responded in the middle stanza. There, he drew Griffin into a brawl and forced him to retreat with kicks to the body and punches upstairs. “Max Pain” appeared to stem the tide in the third round, as he executed two takedowns and briefly climbed to full mount. However, the scorecards told a different tale.

Neil Magny

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 16 semifinalist overcame a rough start to escape with a split decision over Griffin in their UFC on ESPN 33 welterweight feature on March 16, 2022 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. All three members of the judiciary settled on 29-28 scores: Todd Schwarz for Griffin, Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato for Magny. Griffin floored the Elevation Fight Team mainstay with a thudding right hand in the first round and swarmed for a potential finish. Magny survived, put the brush with adversity in the rearview mirror and exploited his height and reach advantage behind a potent jab. He showed more initiative in the second round and pushed a pace Griffin could not match in the third. Magny dragged him to the mat, progressed to the back and threatened the neck. Griffin refused to give in, kept his composure despite visible fatigue and put his fate in the hands of the judges. The ruling went against him.