Early mixed martial arts career īefore The Ultimate Fighter, he fought the likes of Jeff Monson, Jeremy Horn, Chael Sonnen and early UFC veteran Dan Severn in his first pro fight. Griffin is also an MMA instructor at Throwdown Training Center and Robert Drysdale Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Las Vegas, Nevada. He later left law enforcement to pursue a career in professional mixed martial arts. He trained at The HardCore Gym (now SBG Athens) in Athens for seven years under Adam and Rory Singer.

He also served as a patrol officer with the University of Georgia police. Thereafter, Griffin served as a law enforcement officer for the Richmond County Sheriff's Office in Augusta, Georgia. He then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Georgia. Griffin, who is of Irish descent, graduated from Evans High School in Evans, Georgia, a suburb of Augusta where he played football. In the tournament finals, he defeated Stephan Bonnar, which is widely credited as sparking the success of the UFC. Griffin, a former Georgia police officer, first rose to prominence after winning the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013 and currently serves as the Vice President of Athlete Development at the UFC Performance Institute. Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Robert Drysdale įorrest Griffin (born November 26, 1977) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Forrest griffin got fight