Griffin vs. Franca for UFC 103

Franca will return to the cage after a UD win over Marcus Aurelio.

With the UFC looking to go to Dallas, Texas, the organization is looking to put together a top tier card. One of the early announcements for that UFC 103 card is a lightweight matchup between former UFC top contender Hermes Franca (19-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC) and top up-and-comer-turned-gatekeeper Tyson Griffin (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

Franca left the UFC for a little over a year after being suspended for taking steroids prior to his title bout loss to Sean Sherk (33-4-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC), a bout in which Sherk also tested positive for banned substances (and was subsequently stripped of his title). Before the title bout with Sherk, Franca was one of the top lightweights in the world, tearing apart the UFC ranks with his fantastic submission game and devastating striking power. Franca’s only losses since 2006 are to Sherk and Frankie Edgar (8-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC, #7 IWMMAR). Sherk and Edgar are the only two fighters to defeat Tyson Griffin in his four year career.

Griffin was considered one of the top UFC lightweight prospects, with notable wins over accomplished featherweight Jorge Evangelista (8-3-1 MMA) and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber (22-3 MMA, #2 IWMMAR). In only his second UFC fight, though, the undefeated Griffin suffered a painful setback in his loss to Edgar, and the split decision win over Clay Guida (25-10 MMA, 5-4 UFC) was too controversial for him to be considered “back on his feet.” Griffin still hasn’t finished an opponent since his UFC debut, but will have another opportunity for an impressive performance against Franca.