Max Griffin battled his way to a split decision victory over Tim Means tonight at UFC Fight Night 213.
Round One:
Leg kick for Griffin to start. They clash in the center of the Octagon. Griffin with a punch over the top. Exchange of leg kicks.
Means with some push kicks to the body. left hook from Griffin and then a big right straight down the pipe that floors Means.
Griffin follows him down, but Means manages to survive and Griffin works from side control. However Means does well to transition back to his feet, pressing his opponent into the cage.
Knee strike apiece and then they break back to striking range. Head kick attempt from Means doesn’t pay off. Body punch from Griffin.
Leg kick for Means. He lands it again. Head kick attempt from Means is blocked. Light leg kick from Means. Exchange of punches and Griffin is loading up on his power.
Leg kick again from Means. Now a body punch. Right hand lands again for Griffin. Spinning kick from Means was more speculative than anything else.
Means with open hand strikes and then Griffin drives for a takedown against the cage, but Means manages to stay upright as the round ends.
Round Two:
One-two for Means and then a leg kick. A couple of teeps that don’t find the mark. Now Griffin throwing with power.
Open-hand slaps from Means. Body punch from Means, but gets caught by a counter from Griffin. Means misses a front kick upstairs but does land a nice leg kick afterwards.
Leg kick for Griffin. Now a body punch from him. Body punch from Means. Leg kick for Means. And again. He grazes with a right hook as Griffin covers up.
Body punch from Griffin. leg kick from Griffin. Body punch from Means. Now a teep kick. Low kick from Griffin. Griffin ducks under Means punches nicely.
Griffin tries for a single-leg takedown, but Means brushes that aside. Leg kick for Griffin. Leg kick and glancing punches from Means.
Another solid leg kick for Means. Leg kick from Griffin. Means into close range but eats a big punch that sinks him slowly to the mat.
Griffin gets on top in Means guard and lands some punches without connecting with anything that would push the fight closer to a finish.
Round Three:
Means pressing forward with teep kicks. Now he goes into a takedown attempt against the cage. He gets Griffin to his knees, but he stands straight back up and takes Means down.
Griffin in Means guard just as he was in the final seconds of the previous round. Means landing his heels to the thigh of his opponent from his back.
No offense from Griffin yet as Means is punching to the head and body. Griffin presses him uncomfortably into the cage.
Means trying to get his back against the cage, but Griffin not letting him get back up. Means gets his legs up and then is able to create space to stand back up. Griffin still pressing him into the cage though.
Griffin sucks Means legs out from under him to get the fight back down. Means starting to stand again against the cage though and does so.
Means able to turn into Griffin and now he’s trying for a takedown. He gets Griffin down to his knees. Griffin battling back to his feet and Means lands a knee to the body. Griffin back up, but Means brings him down again. Griffin quickly standing and Means lands one last takedown with authority before the final horn sounds.
Decision:
For the most part this fight was closely fought, but the biggest moments belonged to Griffin, who was able to put Means down in both the first and second rounds, helping him on his way to a split decision victory (29-28, 28-29, 30-27).
