UFC lightweights Hermes Franca (19-7) and Tyson Griffin (13-2) are in talks to compete in a 155-pound match up at UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas, on September 26, according toMMAWeekly.
Franca has been on a roller coaster ride during the past 18 months. The former number one contender returned from a 12-month steroids suspension in 2008, losing to Frank Edgar in his July comeback fight at UFC Fight Night 14.
The Brazilian then rebounded with a win against his former Brazilian jiu-jitsu teacher Marcus Aurelio at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” in October. And shortly thereafter he was arrested in Jupiter, Fla., on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
That case is still pending; however, Franca has insisted that he was exhausted, which caused him to drive erratically. He is innocent until proven guilty.
Franca was then penciled in to battle Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 17 back on February 7 but was forced to withdraw due to an ACL tear in his right knee, which should be good to go by September.
Griffin is coming off a closely contested unanimous decision win over Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 18 this past April in a scrap that awarded both men ‘Fight of the Night’ honors.
The Xtreme Couture product seems to have a thing for being judged, going the distance in his last seven fights and winning five of them. Prior to Dos Anjos, he dropped a unanimous decision loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 90 after stringing together four straight victories since UFC 67.
And that’s the thing with Griffin -– fireworks always seem to follow him. In fact, he’s been rewarded with several “Fight of the Night” bonuses in addition to one he nabbed on April 1. Perhaps the only thing keeping him out of serious title consideration is his inability to finish.
He’ll get yet another chance to make a statement when he battles Franca later this fall.
For more on the still-developing fight card for UFC 103 clickhere.
UFC News Credit: MMA Mania
