The decision loss was a controversial one for Griffin, who has vowed to never fight in the country of Brazil ever again.
“I’d love to run it back (with Alves) – but in America,” Griffin said after the event (via MMA Junkie). “I’m not fighting out here again. I can’t. This is my career, and if you would’ve scored that fight 100 times, this would be the only place that I’m going to lose that fight. Period.”
Griffin lost on the judges scorecards via scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.
A shocked Griffin also claims that both Alves and his coaching staff knew who really won the bout on that night.
“After the fight, (Alves) ran into me and said, ‘Ya know, we’re in Fortaleza.’ He knew he didn’t win,” Griffin said. “His coach, Mike Brown, said he didn’t win. I’ve never felt I won so much – that’s why I’m not upset. It’s not like, ‘Oooh, I got robbed.’ We beat him. We smashed him. Every single person here saw the fight, and no person thinks I lost that fight. It is what it is. Mike Brown said he’d have to rewatch the fight. They didn’t think they won the fight. 100 percent (I lost because I was in Brazil). He was born here, it was supposed to be his last fight. He’s still getting stitches right now. It was an honor to fight him. He wasn’t a judge. But I feel good in my heart. I feel fine. I look fine. … I don’t know, man.”
Five bouts went the distance at UFC Fight Night Fortaleza and four of those were a split decision, with three of those four decisions being won by Brazilian competitors.
