Forrest Griffin
Profession: UFC fighter; mixed-martial arts instructor; author, Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down: A Survival Guide to the Apocalypse
Age: 31
Hometown: Athens, Ga.; born in Columbus, Ohio
Notable achievements: former UFC light heavyweight champ; The Ultimate Fighter – Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner; author of New York Times bestseller, Got Fight: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat; he was a police officer in Augusta, Ga., before pursuing a career in mixed martial arts
Upcoming: He’s expected to go back into the cage on Feb. 5, 2011, for UFC 127.
Notable quote: What does a Scion say about you?
Hopefully not very much – maybe that I’m made of plastic. There’s nothing tough about it.
It’s about as tough as a butterfly with a butterfly tattoo. I’m just so manly that it doesn’t matter. I overcome that car. People think, “Oh man, who drives that?” And I get out, ‘Oh, okay, never mind.’
UFC fighter Forrest Griffin with his 2005 Scion xB.
Mixed martial arts have paid off for former police officer Forrest Griffin.
After winning the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005, Griffin gained fame, a six-figure pro contract to fight with Ultimate Fighting Championship and a new car – a 2005 Toyota Scion xB he still drives. He’s also written two best-selling books.
What’s your favourite feature on the Scion?
I don’t have a favourite feature on the Scion. I have a least-favourite feature – the fact that it doesn’t have cruise control and I’ve driven it across the country five times. It’s a pain. I hate flying so I always drive.
Are you a gearhead – do you know what’s under the hood?
It’s got a banging V-6. It’s not a lot – and no torque and no horsepower. It’s literally like 215 horsepower, which is the equivalent of a Harley.
Do you ride a Harley?
I don’t ride. My step-dad and my father-in-law both have Harleys. I have a desire to get my motorcycle licence.
A bike is pretty simple, but me being an unco-ordinated klutz and getting injured all the time I think getting on a motorcycle would be the end of my career as a fighter. I’m going to hold off on that.
What was your first car?
I don’t even know. I had a bunch of them – I had a series of $500 cars.
The best car I ever had was a Mazda 626. I paid $72 for it. The guy told me if I towed it off his property I could do whatever I wanted to it. So I paid to have it towed to my house and me and my step-dad fixed it up and drove it until I totalled it.
I rear-ended somebody. I was away at college and when I came home they put a stoplight right in front of my gym so I’m speeding like I always would and all of a sudden somebody slams on the brakes.
When I hit the car in front of me the engine actually fell out of it. It was so rusty. It was pretty awesome.
Me and my step-dad shared a $500 Chevy Celebrity, a 1983 Dodge Ram truck, and an old Ford Ranger truck – it was a piece of junk. I hated that thing. It fell apart. It didn’t always go in reverse. So I drove in a circle or I would just get somebody to sit in the thing and I would push it backward.
UFC fighter Forrest Griffin with his 2005 Scion xB.
Do you prefer buying used over new?
Yeah. If you can keep them running that’s the way to go.
But I like new cars now because I remember having anxiety in the morning going to work on whether or not my car was going to start and having to get up an hour early just in case I had to fiddle with it.
How long do you keep your cars?
In the past until they die, but with the Scion when it becomes a pain and when it ends up sitting in the parking lot in the grocery store; after that it’s time to get a new car. But I’m hoping to get more time out of the Scion.
Have you had any embarrassing moments on the road?
I have some great ones.
I was in a blue Celebrity and this guy in a Mustang was cutting me off. He was running me off the road at will and I couldn’t go fast enough to do anything about it. As we were driving I actually ripped the steering wheel off! So then I reached down and grabbed the little knob and steered to the side of the road.
I simply got a pair of vice grips and locked them in and then I drove with that, but my step-dad saw me and made me put a steering wheel in. It was just like driving with a wrench.
What do you listen to on the road?
I just listen to the radio and I change it every five minutes because there's never anything on.
I just listen to whatever all the cool kids are listening to. I like listening to Method Man before fighting.
What are your dream wheels?
My wife drives a nice 2008 Range Rover. I’d like a Range Rover, but a bulletproof one with an extra dash and a pop-up machine gun on top. We won the Range Rover, too – same way we won the Scion.
The interview has been edited and condensed.
