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The UFC usually saves its best card for the end of the year, and tonight's event is no different; there will be a light heavyweight title fight between two fighters whom nobody predicted to reach this level, champion Forrest Griffin against undefeated and undersized challenger Rashad Evans.
Griffin is a product of the UFC's popular reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter." He won the inaugural show and earned a contract to fight for the organization. Griffin, 29, took on some tough fights from his first bout in the Octagon and experienced some wins against seasoned veterans and losses against top-tier fighters until he met Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
At UFC 76, Griffin upset the fighter who was regarded as the No. 1 pound- for-pound fighter in the world by many. That win propelled him into a title fight with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson last July. And the scrappy Griffin (16-4) gutted out a narrow decision victory over the champion to earn the crown.
"(You being the champion) is not real until you get a title defense and win," said the usually quiet Griffin.
"(Evans) is a smart guy and works with good people and always has a good strategy. (Tonight) will be no different."
Evans is also a product of The Ultimate Fighter -- Season 2, in which he
fought at heavyweight and won the show despite being the smallest of the fighters at 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds. Once he left the show and prepared for life as a full-time fighter, Evans dropped to the 205-pound division and his big knockout power followed him.
Evans has knocked out three of his last five foes including former champion Chuck Liddell. That win, and his 12-0-1 record, have put him in the title fight tonight.
"I am just looking to give Forrest some great competition. I am just looking to get the belt," the always cordial 29- year-old Evans said.
"May the best man win. I look forward at putting on a good show."
Also on the main event, two of the best submission fighters in the division in all of mixed martial arts -- interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira taking on challenger and former champion Frank Mir in a battle for the interim heavyweight title.
The Brazilian standout beat Tim Sylvia at UFC 81 for the interim heavyweight title after then-champion Randy Couture retired. While in Japan with Pride FC, Nogueira (31-4-1) was also considered one of the top heavyweights in the world and held the crown for the organization before coming stateside in 2007.
"I trained very much for this fight. I'm pretty good at the stand-up (game)," said Nogueira, who is known for his world-class submissions but is able to stand and trade strikes with the best.
"I've never been knocked out or submitted. You guys are going to see me in the best shape of my life and I am ready to give everything I got."
Mir has been to the top of the mountain before, when he won the heavyweight title at UFC 48 in 2004. Shortly after that win, he was involved in an accident while riding his motorcycle and sustained a broken leg that kept him out of competition for months. The UFC stripped Mir (11-3) of the title since he was unable to defend it. Now refocused on winning back the title, he is riding a two-fight win streak after beating Antoni Hardonk and Brock Lesnar.
The final part to the three- main-event showcase is a grudge match in which former light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (28-7) attempts to get back to a title contest when he takes on Wanderlei Silva for the third installment of their epic series.
To see more of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sgvtribune.com. Copyright (c) 2008, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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