Why Run Away Forrest Griffin?
Looking back at last week's UFC 101, lots of people wonder why Forrest Griffin ran out of the octagon after he got beat. I don't know, but I don't feel bad for him one bit.
If Forrest Griffin was capable enough to run out of the arena, he was physically capable enough to stand there long enough for the referee to hold up Anderson Silva's hand and to formally take his defeat...
To give honor to his opponent...
To give honor to the process...
...and if Forrest would have stayed in the octagon and took it like a warrior he would have preserved his own honor in this commonly selfless act of humility that all fighters have to undergo when facing a loss.
But he ran out of there, losing the chance to be honorable in defeat.
I am 40 years old and I've had the displeasure to have lost some big matches in my life the past few years. Both times, I stood up long enough to see my opponent's hand go up in victory. One of those times I did it in excruciating pain with a broken arm held up by my gi jacket fashioned as a sling. My arm wasn't broken by a submission... I broke it during a fall in the finals of a judo tournament with a guy 80 pounds heavier and over 15 years younger than me.
But I waited long enough to see my opponent get his hand raised in victory. Right after, I was helped into a small car and driven most expediently to the local hospital for a nice shot of morphene. Good Times! And I don't just mean the morphine!
I stood there and represented my family name honorably in defeat with a broken arm at 37 years old.
Look at B.J. Penn after his lost to GSP earlier this year. He didn't know what was going on nor does he remember where he was after the 2nd round, but he instinctively knew to stand up on his two feet, to stay in the octagon, and to have the process done to him - to let the ref hold his hand knowing that it wasn't going to be raised.
There is honor in defeat just as there is dishonor in victory. I tell you, I had so much more respect for BJ Penn in that act of honorable defeat than in all of his victory celebrations combined. Because I know how hard that is to do that first hand.
In my life, I've had the blessed opportunity to compete, judge, and referee in the sport of MMA and I only just turned 40. I count that a blessing, because I know how important all those roles are in ensuring that the sport improve and grow. I love the sport. But that honor in defeat has been around for centuries.
Like BJ Penn said in a pre-event special,
"They say a true measure of a man is when he is at his lowest... You've got to stand up."
Because Forrest ran out of the octagon before Anderson Silva's hand was raised, I must say I regret ever being a fan of Forrest Griffin. I certainly am not going to buy his book.
If Forrest Griffin was capable enough to run out of the arena, he was physically capable enough to stand there long enough for the referee to hold up Anderson Silva's hand and to formally take his defeat...
To give honor to his opponent...
To give honor to the process...
...and if Forrest would have stayed in the octagon and took it like a warrior he would have preserved his own honor in this commonly selfless act of humility that all fighters have to undergo when facing a loss.
But he ran out of there, losing the chance to be honorable in defeat.
I am 40 years old and I've had the displeasure to have lost some big matches in my life the past few years. Both times, I stood up long enough to see my opponent's hand go up in victory. One of those times I did it in excruciating pain with a broken arm held up by my gi jacket fashioned as a sling. My arm wasn't broken by a submission... I broke it during a fall in the finals of a judo tournament with a guy 80 pounds heavier and over 15 years younger than me.
But I waited long enough to see my opponent get his hand raised in victory. Right after, I was helped into a small car and driven most expediently to the local hospital for a nice shot of morphene. Good Times! And I don't just mean the morphine!
I stood there and represented my family name honorably in defeat with a broken arm at 37 years old.
Look at B.J. Penn after his lost to GSP earlier this year. He didn't know what was going on nor does he remember where he was after the 2nd round, but he instinctively knew to stand up on his two feet, to stay in the octagon, and to have the process done to him - to let the ref hold his hand knowing that it wasn't going to be raised.
There is honor in defeat just as there is dishonor in victory. I tell you, I had so much more respect for BJ Penn in that act of honorable defeat than in all of his victory celebrations combined. Because I know how hard that is to do that first hand.
In my life, I've had the blessed opportunity to compete, judge, and referee in the sport of MMA and I only just turned 40. I count that a blessing, because I know how important all those roles are in ensuring that the sport improve and grow. I love the sport. But that honor in defeat has been around for centuries.
Like BJ Penn said in a pre-event special,
"They say a true measure of a man is when he is at his lowest... You've got to stand up."
Because Forrest ran out of the octagon before Anderson Silva's hand was raised, I must say I regret ever being a fan of Forrest Griffin. I certainly am not going to buy his book.
posted by Gorilla Revilla at 4:34 PM
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