Though the matchup with Oliveira projects to be an exciting one, it is also a fight featuring two fighters in definite need of a win. Oliveira is coming off three straight losses, and Griffin is well-aware of the kind of urgency that might stir up in his opponent.
“Oliveira is going to try to save his contract,” Griffin said. “He’s going to try to come after me, but that’s what I want. I want to engage. A lot of these guys try to run away from me, try to get out of there and not engage, but he’s going to engage. And then, when I engage, it’s going to be my show.”
As the opening bout on the main card, Griffin can set the bar for the rest of the night, and that’s something that Griffin gets openly giddy about.
“I’m going to put it on him on pay-per-view,” he said. “It doesn’t get any better. World watching, everyone is going to be watching, tuned in, primetime, I couldn’t ask for a better fight.”
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Overall, Griffin seems like he’s in a good place heading into fight night. His reaffirmed confidence in his grappling and cardio aside, he said his work to get mentally prepared has him in the right frame of mind.
That mental work includes a lot of meditation, guided over the phone by a coach, positive and powerful self-talk and a lot of visualization.
“I’ve done the fight hundreds of times, probably, so far,” Griffin said. “All of it. So, it’s almost like a movie you’ve seen 50 times. You know what’s going to happen.”
Between his renewed confidence, Griffin seems primed to put it all together on March 7. He gets the biggest chance of his career in Alex Oliveira, and the bout could prove to be a critical point in his career. In Griffin’s mind, though, it’s just the beginning of something special.
“I’m just going to overwhelm these guys,” Griffin said. “I’m going to start on Saturday.”
