Nolan King: Max Griffin
It’s unlikely [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag] is the fist name to come up in the conversation about who Demian Maia’s final opponent should be. No, he doesn’t have the name recognition of Donald Cerrone. Yes, he lacks the legend status of Diego Sanchez – and his resume doesn’t match up to some of the other available options. There’s no argument against any.
However, Griffin embodies something those others don’t. He’s a matchup that makes sense regardless of the circumstances of Maia’s career. Griffin vs. Maia would make sense now – and it would make sense if Maia decided to have 10 more fights.
Both fighters are in a position in which their next fight is a must-win. As for Griffin, he’s dropped four out of five fights. Most have been closely contested against tough competition. All have come by decision. It’s likely he’ll be fighting for his job.
Conversely, it’s unlikely Maia will lack motivation entering his retirement fight. I mean, who doesn’t want to leave the sport on a winning note? Additionally, the challenge is there, so he can’t afford to get complacent. Griffin is not a layup. From Thiago Alves to Mike Perry to Colby Covington, Griffin has taken on some big challenges at 170 pounds.
So yeah, let’s make Maia vs. Griffin, why don’t we?