Forrest Griffin Has Regrets, No Interest In 'Legends League'
Forrest Griffin Has Regrets, No Interest In 'Legends League'
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin weighs in on Legends League and regrets from career.
Forrest Griffin's love for fighting brought him to mixed martial arts, but his heart inside the cage and his personality beyond it made him an icon for his time.
As the original winner of The Ultimate Fighter and one half of a battle widely regarded as the most important fight in UFC history, Griffin cemented his place as one of the most important figures in the promotion's history. The Georgia native played a huge role in the post-TUF popularity boom that carried the UFC from a niche operation on the fringe of collapse to one of the biggest sports entities in the world.
Nevertheless, Griffin's body would eventually give in on him, and the former light heavyweight champion was forced to retire in 2013. Alongside former rival Stephen Bonnar, Griffin was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in the same year.
And while Griffin is still employed by the promotion he made his name in, his days of competing inside the Octagon are far removed.
During a recent visit to the UFC Unfiltered Podcast, the fan favorite was asked about Vitor Belfort's proposed "Legends League" and if he would have any interest in participating.
"For me, physically, I just really can't do it," Griffin said. "I kind of always wanted to do pro wrestling too, but I just can't. I don't have a knee and a shoulder. At this point in my life it's not that I'm worried about my chin or anything, and it's not that I'm even worried about going out there and sucking. I just see how people in their 60's move and I might not die before 60. I might have some grandkids and I want to play soccer. I don't want to beat my body up anymore.
"I wouldn't do it. I hit mitts once a week in case I get in a fight with the other dads at the park, you know? That's about it."
By all standards and measures Griffin's career was a decorated and successful one, but that doesn't stop the Hall of Famer from holding some regrets. That said, it was never the things that could have been or what did or did not happen, but moreso the idea he could have been more mentally present through it all--even the rigorous process of preparing for a fight, which is something Griffin still thinks about to this day.
"You know what I really miss? Honestly, it's the training," Griffin said. "I really miss training. It's funny because I got a lot of regrets. I didn't enjoy it as much as I could've. I enjoyed it a lot at the beginning, but towards the end of my career, I don't know….I put too much pressure on myself and forgot I love doing this sh*t. I forgot how much fun I should've been having."
As the original winner of The Ultimate Fighter and one half of a battle widely regarded as the most important fight in UFC history, Griffin cemented his place as one of the most important figures in the promotion's history. The Georgia native played a huge role in the post-TUF popularity boom that carried the UFC from a niche operation on the fringe of collapse to one of the biggest sports entities in the world.
Nevertheless, Griffin's body would eventually give in on him, and the former light heavyweight champion was forced to retire in 2013. Alongside former rival Stephen Bonnar, Griffin was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in the same year.
And while Griffin is still employed by the promotion he made his name in, his days of competing inside the Octagon are far removed.
During a recent visit to the UFC Unfiltered Podcast, the fan favorite was asked about Vitor Belfort's proposed "Legends League" and if he would have any interest in participating.
"For me, physically, I just really can't do it," Griffin said. "I kind of always wanted to do pro wrestling too, but I just can't. I don't have a knee and a shoulder. At this point in my life it's not that I'm worried about my chin or anything, and it's not that I'm even worried about going out there and sucking. I just see how people in their 60's move and I might not die before 60. I might have some grandkids and I want to play soccer. I don't want to beat my body up anymore.
"I wouldn't do it. I hit mitts once a week in case I get in a fight with the other dads at the park, you know? That's about it."
By all standards and measures Griffin's career was a decorated and successful one, but that doesn't stop the Hall of Famer from holding some regrets. That said, it was never the things that could have been or what did or did not happen, but moreso the idea he could have been more mentally present through it all--even the rigorous process of preparing for a fight, which is something Griffin still thinks about to this day.
"You know what I really miss? Honestly, it's the training," Griffin said. "I really miss training. It's funny because I got a lot of regrets. I didn't enjoy it as much as I could've. I enjoyed it a lot at the beginning, but towards the end of my career, I don't know….I put too much pressure on myself and forgot I love doing this sh*t. I forgot how much fun I should've been having."