Mixed Martial Arts Forum banner

Josh Grispi achin’ to get back

653 views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  JT42 
#1 ·
He’s one of the most promising featherweights in World Extreme Cagefighting, the sister promotion of the UFC, but for the time being, Josh Grispi is spending his days working for his father’s roofing company.

Grispi, a 21-year-old phenom who has won his first three WEC fights, has been out of action since undergoing right ankle surgery in September.

No fighting means no athletic income, so while he rehabilitates the injury, Grispi has been forced back to roofing work. But the Plympton resident should be able to permanently retire from that occupation shortly, as he plans to resume his ascension up the ranks of the 145-pound division in June.

“I can’t do 9-to-5,” Grispi said. “I need to train. I need to work out or I can’t function.”

Grispi’s ankle has bothered him since the second fight of his career, but he ignored it initially. The pain got continually worse, yet Grispi (13-1) continued to tough it out without visiting a doctor.

However, two days before the biggest fight of his career, a bout last June against mixed martial arts legend Jens Pulver, Grispi was in training and threw a routine kick that was blocked by a sparring partner. He fell to the ground in debilitating pain and decided it was time to get the ankle checked out.

Of course, ever the warrior, Grispi delayed the doctor’s visit until he finished Pulver with a guillotine choke just 33 seconds into their fight.

“I couldn’t even walk before I fought Jens,” Grispi said. “I was like, ’I can’t be fighting these guys with a bum ankle.’ There’s no point. You have to get to 100 percent. I’ve never fought any of my fights 100 percent. I don’t think anyone really does, but I’ve been pretty bad with my ankle.”

When the ankle was finally examined, the damage was worse than Grispi ever imagined --a torn tendon, ligament damage, calcium deposits and a bone chip. All of that required surgery and then three months in a hard cast.

The recovery process has been difficult as Grispi isn’t used to long stretches of inactivity.

“I’ve never been sitting around not doing anything,” Grispi said. “I have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and I can’t relax more than five minutes without doing something.”

More difficult than sitting around was the gnawing fear that Grispi slipped off the radar during his layoff. But message board posters continue to mention Grispi’s name when talking about the top featherweights. Grispi exudes the same confidence.

“I’m happy that people are still talking about me,” Grispi said. “I think I can compete with anybody in the 145-pound division. I’m not scared of anyone. I don’t think anyone can throw anything at me I haven’t seen or haven’t trained for.”

Most importantly, Grispi still has the attention of WEC general manager Reed Harris.

“Josh is definitely someone that has the potential to be the future of the featherweight division,” Harris said. “Based on his performances in the WEC, Josh has the pedigree to one day be a world champion. We’re confident that he can work his way into title contention as soon as he returns.”
http://news.bostonherald.com/sports...35&format=&page=1&listingType=Ufc#articleFull
 
#3 ·
I can't wait to see Grispi back, He was the main event at the first local MMA fight I ever went to and it was his last local fight before going to the WEC, He Ko'd the reigning Featherweight Champ out via head kick in 11sec. It was crazy, I can't wait to see him start taking on some of the top guys in the divison. Grispi vs Brown make it happen.
 
#6 ·
Cant wait to see him get back because he was definitely one of their rising stars.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top