Josh Grispi Returns, L.C. Davis Predicts ‘A War’

By Frank Curreri

Musician Paul Simon famously lamented in one of his songs, “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?”

WEC fans may be wondering the same about finisher extraordinaire Josh Grispi. The distant relative of boxing icon Rocky Marciano has been M.I.A. from the Octagon for more than a year. Now healed from ankle surgery and an alarming neck injury, the dynamic Bostonian returns to the cage this Sunday against L.C. Davis in a matchup that could have title shot implications.

Davis generally believes such long layoffs do foster “ring rust,” but expects Grispi to be an exception.

“With him being so young and aggressive, I don’t think it will play much of a factor in the fight,” Davis said of his 21-year-old opponent’s lengthy hiatus. “I visualize that this fight is going to be a war. It’s going to be a barnburner with fireworks in the first couple of minutes. The fight will be told in the first two or three minutes. He’s going to come out really hard and I’m going to have to match fire with fire. Whoever sets the tone in that first minute or two is probably going to win the fight.”

Indeed, Grispi (13-1) is not one to waste time inside of the cage; he has essentially been to the featherweight division what Shane Carwin is to the heavyweight division, finishing all three of his WEC foes in an astounding 4 minutes and 17 seconds combined. That startling work rate, coupled with the fact that Grispi boasts a diverse attack and has stopped 6 opponents by knockout and 6 by submission, makes it hard for other fighters to find flaws in his game. Davis has probed videotape of the rising star, searching for clues.

“I really don’t know a lot about him,” Davis said, adding it wasn’t for lack of trying. “But none of the guys he beat were southpaws, so …”

Davis, 16-2, happens to be a southpaw. Conventional wisdom in MMA and boxing circles is that it’s often more difficult for a fighter in a conventional stance to handle a southpaw fighter. Davis addressed that perception, saying, “It depends if the southpaw knows how to properly use his advantages. There are small tricks that can make a difference and can make it frustrating for your opponent.”

Grispi didn’t seem overly concerned about fighting someone with an alternative stance.

“L.C. Davis is a great fighter with great wrestling, good hands, and good ground and pound,” Grispi said. “He’s a dangerous guy and he’s a lefty, which works out great for me.”

The 145-pound Grispi trained for this main card bout with his usual team, South Shore Sport Fighting, with UFC lightweight veteran Dan Lauzon serving as one of his main sparring partners.

“I have been working a lot of wrestling defense and boxing,” he said. “I’ve also been training a lot more wrestling so I can keep or put the fight where I want it to be.”

Davis, meanwhile, trained for years with Pat Miletich’s team in Iowa before relocating to Kansas City last year to be closer to family and friends. He spent three weeks preparing at Xtreme Couture and sparring with the likes of Tyson Griffin, Martin Kampmann, Mike Pyle and Jay Hieron, among others.

While Davis views this as the most important bout of his career, because of the high stakes involved, he does not consider Grispi to be a greater challenge than Deividas Taurosevicius, Javier Vazquez or Diego Nunes – three very tough fighters whom Davis has toppled in the WEC.

“I have what it takes to beat him,” Davis said. “I’m not losing any sleep over Josh Grispi and I hope he feels the same about me … I definitely don’t think Josh is any tougher than the three guys that I’ve beat in the WEC, he’s just a different challenge. He’s dangerous but I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s better than the previous three guys that I have already beat. It’s just a different set of skills that I’m matched up with.”

A cerebral fighter with a smothering and grinding wrestling style, Davis believes the key to taming Grispi will be weathering the storm and testing the youngster’s gas tank.

“It’s going to be key for me to set the tone early and let him know we’re not going to fight his game – we’re not going to have a quick fight where everything goes his way,” Davis said. “I need to let him know that I’m there and give him something to worry about. I feel the longer the fight it goes the more advantageous it will be for me, so I’m looking to make a statement early and let him know that he’s not just going to run over me.

I feel he will probably slow down after a few minutes. And if he doesn’t, I’m prepared to go the distance; I don’t know if he is. But the longer the fight goes the more it will favor me. If he’s able to come out fast and impose his will then he might finish me. But the way I see it, I see him coming out fast, me nullifying his aggression and then finishing him in the second or third round.”

While WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has established himself as the fastest and most explosive striker at the weight class, Grispi just might be the division’s hardest puncher. Davis, however, has never been knocked out in his pro career.

“He swings for the fences and if it lands it can definitely hurt you,” Davis said. “I haven’t been hit by him so I don’t know, but I know that I can take a punch. But the key for me is not getting hit. With those little gloves you don’t want to take that risk. I’m not looking to sit in there and trade and get caught in a guns-blazing match … I have to be smart and move my feet, my head, and keep him guessing with my wrestling and my striking. And if I’m able to do that he won’t be able to land one of those haymaker bombs on me.”

With swift, one-sided wins over Jens Pulver, Mark Hominick and Micah Miller, Grispi is viewed by many as the featherweight who matches up best with Aldo should they ever clash. But he must get past Davis, and perhaps win one more fight thereafter, to get that chance.

“Winning really never motivates me,” Grispi said. “I just know I have a gift and I need to show it, win or lose. Truthfully, God and reading about the warriors in the Bible keeps me motivated. And a lot of praying. It keeps me mentally focused and balanced. I watch the movies “300” and “Ninja Assassin”, those also keep me very motivated. Remember, you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength!

“This is the coolest sport in the world. I get to fly around the country, meet my idols and beat them up for pretty good money (Laughs) … I never set out to do this, it all sort of just happened but all I know is that while I’m doing it I’m going to make the most of it and be the best I can be. I want to be known as the best pound for pound fighter in the world someday.”