Training Partners, Tyson Griffin and Evan Dunham Will Fight at UFC 115
by Anton Tabuena on Feb 3, 2010 2:56 AM EST
in MMA News
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Xtreme Couture training partners Tyson Griffin (14-2) and Evan Dunham (10-0) are reported to be facing off at UFC 115:
A lightweight showdown pitting the returning Tyson Griffin against the emerging Evan Dunham is on tap for UFC 115 on June 12 in Vancouver.
MMAWeekly.com sources on Tuesday night said the bout has been agreed to, but not yet signed.
Most friends and sparring partners, like the guys in AKA, Jackson's, or in Black House have been vehemently opposed to the idea of squaring off against one of their teammates. Some have said that they would only consider it if the money was right, or if it was for a world title, but this isn't the case for Griffin and Dunham, as they have decided to set everything aside and get paid to do what they regularly do in the gym.
Griffin is expected to remain with Xtreme Couture, while Dunham will be training on another gym to prepare for this bout.
Rumored UFC 115 card so far:
- Chuck Liddell vs Tito Ortiz
- Rory Macdonald vs Carlos Condit
- Gilbert Yvel vs Pat Barry
- Tyson Griffin vs Evan Dunham
- Peter Sobotta vs James Wilks
HT: mmaweekly
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The only payment that these guys would accept to fight each other must be a year’s supply of growth hormone to finally get taller
eh?
Dunham is one of the tallest LWs in the UFC, he’s 5’10.
by Anton Tabuena on Feb 3, 2010 3:28 AM EST up reply actions
Xtreme Couture is not a team
There are camps and different trainers within that gym. It’s been stated many times that this is partly why Shawn Thompkin left—he didn’t like that each fighter at XC could basically have their own camp within the gym.
by dohfil on Feb 3, 2010 3:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Wonder if this is where the UFC starts trying to sink the hooks in. I have no idea if they’re sweetening the deal in cases like this, but it would be a smart/diabolical move. Just start offering guys extra to fight guys they train with, until they can say it’s commonplace. Pretty hard for prizefighters to turn down extra money. You’ve gotta make it when you can. Maybe top five guys won’t cave in, or close friends, but it’ll put a lot of pressure on to just fight whoever the UFC decides. I understand the UFC wanting to break the precedent, but I hope they don’t overdo it. An AKA/top contender situation is one thing, but for the most part it would only result in weirdness and lackluster fights.
by Kwisatz Haderach on Feb 3, 2010 3:28 AM EST reply actions
This makes sense for the UFC to go after, since Xtreme Couture is one of the highest-visibility camps represented in the company and because it’s not for a title or immediate contendership. Still, I doubt that the ‘current generation’ of fighters from Black House, AKA or Jackson/Winklejohn’s MMA will change their stance.
Then again, as mentioned before Xtreme Couture chose Griffin (or the other way around?) as the fighter who they would train. I’m not sure how these “pick a fighter to corner” would work out in the case of fighters like GSP who is already known to also work with Tri-Star, or in the case of Black House.
If UFC fighters turn down a fight offered to them
their contract is automatically extended by six months without any added fights. It is technically possible for the UFC to freeze a fighter’s contract out (a la Huerta, but slightly different) to the end of time and essentially starve them into fighting a team mate. The only person I could see Dana wanting to do that to is Jon Fitch, and until Koscheck and Cain lose contender status, I don’t see him messing with AKA like that. That’s assuming he’d be willing to do it in the first place, of course.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
Sure, I don’t think Dana wants that situation, and I really doubt he’d want to stall a whole camp out, unless they somehow all ended up on his shitlist for other reasons. But he has continued to bring the subject up for a long time. And the best, more P.R. friendly way to go about it is to just reward guys who are willing to take a fight like this occasionally, until he’s got a bunch more examples of guys’ “acting like professionals” in his mind, to throw in people’s face if they turn down a fight the UFC really wants to make. More carrot, less stick, but he’d be able to paint a fighter as a primadonna for not wanting to fight someone from his camp. I’m not saying this fight is an example of a strategy like that, but I won’t be surprised if I hear him use it as an example when the subject comes up again in an interview. So far, it’s been simple to work around, and, for example, I don’t think Lyoto/Anderson will ever happen, but this will continue as a subject of discussion. If Jon Jones handles Vera, than you’ve got Jardine/Rashad/Bones all top ten, and unwilling to fighter each other. Anyway, I’m probably reaching a bit, but when I saw this fight announced, it’s the first thing that came to mind. Strange matchup for Tyson IMO, so I went directly to the ulterior motive department :)
by Kwisatz Haderach on Feb 3, 2010 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, I'm not suggesting it's something the UFC would do
only that they can. And the reason I mentioned AKA specifically is that there’s been a lot of tension before and their WW contingent are problematic. Dana won’t start shit [again] with a camp until he doesn’t see any profit from them anymore (profit meaning Kos and Cain). If he had nothing to lose by alienating the camp, he could potentially try this tactic. It would be terrible publicity, but he has all the ability should he so desire.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Feb 3, 2010 2:03 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t get this fight.
Tyson is supposed to be one of the division’s top contenders, but instead he’s getting gatekeeper level fights.
Why not Maynard, Jim Miller, Stevenson, or winner of Gomi/Florian? Even a rematch with Guida would make more sense. And Diaz has been calling him out for years now.
Dunham is good, maybe even great, but he should really be in there against someone like Joe Lauzon, dos Anjos or Cole Miller.
this is dunham's chance to prove if he's one of the top contenders,
or if he really belongs with the likes of the guys you mentioned, Lauzon, Miller etc… If he loses, no problem, he’s young, and a loss to one of the top LWs isn’t anything to be ashamed off, and then he can face the guys on his true level.
by Anton Tabuena on Feb 3, 2010 5:05 AM EST up reply actions
And also, it’s Griffin’s chance to put up an impressive finish against a guy who is less experienced and regarded as slightly below his level. You know they’re looking for challengers for BJ (beyond the Edgar/Maynard/Gomi poo poo platter), and if Griffin can pull out an impressive finish (something he’s known for not doing, Frana aside), it helps them build the hype for a title shot. I can understand why both guys would take the fight. Dunham probably can’t lose either way, and Griffin could lose big time if he drops the fight, but if he can’t finish Dunham he doesn’t deserve Penn.
"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."
by AJB on Feb 3, 2010 6:02 AM EST up reply actions
Good.
Awesome fight. I’ll go with Dunham.
Not that I condone facism or any ism for that matter. Isms are in my opinion, not good. A person shouldn't believe in an ism, he should believe in himself.
I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me". Good point there, after all he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. Wouldn't change the fact I have to bum rides off of people.
Hell yea
He (Dunham) is quickly becoming one of my favorite fighters. He was amazing at Fight Night 20 and he won me a lot of fake money! :)
I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
--------
Join the DC Area UFC Meetup Group
http://www.meetup.com/DCUFCGroup
by funnytiger on Feb 3, 2010 7:08 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Griffin v. Dunham
Here’s what Dunham told me about his training situation before 1/11 Fight Night in Fairfax, VA:
[I train] Back home where I live, which is Eugene, Oregon. I train with a team called Team Megatron. However, I’ve been spending the majority of my time down at Xtreme [Couture]. I like to consider myself a full [time] fixture there. After this fight I have plans to relocate down to Vegas full time.
Presumably, Dunham will stay home for this fight and train with Team Megatron. Though, I have to question just how much of a “full time fixture” he is at Xtreme Couture, considering Randy Couture didn’t know what weight class Evan Dunham fought in.
Twitter @brettcjones
"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard
If they were going to make two Couture guys fight each other
I would have much preferred to see Tyson vs. Maynard. I was hoping to get Dunham vs. Jim Miller as well.
This does not compare to AKA or Jackson's
These situations are not really analogous. Couture has tons of people come through his camp. A part-timer like Dunham fighting Griffin isn’t at all like a Fitch-Koscheck showdown.
by Jonathan Snowden on Feb 3, 2010 10:01 AM EST reply actions
Babystep to friend vs. friend showdown, babystep…
Not that I condone facism or any ism for that matter. Isms are in my opinion, not good. A person shouldn't believe in an ism, he should believe in himself.
I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me". Good point there, after all he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. Wouldn't change the fact I have to bum rides off of people.
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