Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

LAS VEGAS - When Forrest Griffin was a baby, his mother was told that because of a pre-existing condition, he’d always be on the weak side. But within no time, it was obvious that was a mistake.

Griffin would spend the early part of his life proving how wrong even the brilliant minds of science can be. As a kid, Griffin was the kind of competitor that would dive on concrete to catch a touchdown in a friendly game of football. As a teenager, he was the one who wanted to dunk a basketball so badly, he cut the webbing on his hand in hopes of having a wider grip. In high school, he once celebrated a sack by head-butting his teammates despite the fact he wasn’t wearing a helmet. In MMA, he made his pro debut against Hall of Famer Dan Severn, and he once won a match despite a broken arm.

Ask Forrest Griffin’s friends and family what his best attribute is as a fighter, and they’ll quickly tell you, it’s his heart.

Yet despite all the evidence of him going through any obstacle in the way of his goal, Griffin was quickly installed as a 2-1 underdog in his UFC light-heavyweight championship match with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, which was just the way Griffin liked it.

One more time, the smalltown Georgia boy bucked the odds and the experts, withstanding everything Jackson could bring and capturing the championship with a unanimous decision victory before a raucous sellout crowd of 11,172 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“I’m not a super submission guy, and I’m not a super power guy. But I’ll fight you for 25 minutes,” Griffin said. “Every other champ is terrifying. B.J. Penn is terrifying. Anderson Silva is terrifying. I’m not terrifying, but I’ll fight you to the end like a dog.”

Looking down the list of attributes between champ and challenger before the fight, it was hard to pick against Jackson, who had the advantages in wrestling and power and was coming off two impressive wins, a first-round destruction of ex-UFC champ Chuck Liddell last May, and a convincing five-round decision against former PRIDE champ Dan Henderson last September.

Griffin, however, showed that he wasn’t going away when he was dropped by a Jackson right with about 75 seconds left in the first, but withstood the champ’s barrage and recovered, then dominated the second round, winning it by 10-8 scores on two judge's scorecards.

The tide turned perhaps for good when Griffin (16-4) landed a solid leg kick to Jackson’s left knee. The kick buckled his leg, and Griffin continued to target it throughout the duration of the 25-minute fight. Though Jackson didn’t use it as an excuse, he was limping noticeably in the post-fight.

“[My corner] thought he won the second round, and maybe the last,” said Jackson (28-7), who said he believed he won the fight. “But I don’t know, I’ve gotta watch it again. I feel like to beat the champ, you gotta hurt him, but hey, I’m not a judge.”

Griffin was also pushed along by the 11,172 that sold out the arena and chanted his name at various junctures of the bout. Before the fight, many questioned Griffin's chin, including Griffin himself, but it proved up to the task, withstanding several hard shots from close range. Still, he required stitches to close a cut over his left eye after the fight.

Video   Griffin wins UFC title July 6: Forrest Griffin entered UFC 86 a big underdog. He walked out a champion. NBC Sports

"Quinton hits hard," Griffin said after. "I mean, real hard. I blocked some shots with my hands, and they still hurt my head."

Griffin has long chosen himself as his top target of humor, but his resume -- with wins over Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson, can no longer be denied.

"I didn't think Forrest could hang with me, and I said that if he makes it to the third round, he'd win my respect," said Jackson, who ironically received his copy of the PRIDE belt he won from Henderson just before fighting Griffin. "Well, I respect him. And if I fight him again, I'm going to respect the hell out of him with my right hand."

Griffin was one of the key fighters that helped bring MMA to America in a new package. Before "The Ultimate Fighter," people tended to think of mixed martial artists as tatooed muscleheads. But the former cop has a lean body, self-effacing personality, quick wit, and a fighting spirit that instantly made him a unique and very marketable package.

His 2005 bout with Stephan Bonnar put UFC on the map and helped clinch a television contract between the UFC and SpikeTV that helped launch UFC into its current orbit.

"Without that fight, I don't know if we'd be standing here today," said UFC President Dana White, who added that the Griffin-Bonnar fight was crucial to UFC at a time when Spike was deciding on whether to continue the relationship. The fight drew millions and a contract quickly followed.

"I think he's the most beloved star in UFC history," White added. "Everyone loves Forrest. He's not the most talented guy in the world, just like he said. But if you want a champ who is completely made of hard work and determination, he's that guy."

His "everyman" personality resonates with everyone who comes in contact with him. Twenty-four hours before the biggest night of his life, Griffin spent the night eating with longtime friends at the Bayside Buffet, one of the cheapest restaurants at Mandalay Bay, and also one of the most crowded.

"Forrest is one of the most inspirational people I've ever met," says Kyle Maynard, a longtime friend of Griffin's who attended the fight as his guest. You might remember Maynard, who's received national attention over the years as a congenital amputee who successfully competed in wrestling in high school, graduated with high honors and wrote a bestselling book, No Excuses.

Today, Maynard is finishing up his collegiate degree at the University of Georgia, is a sought-after motivational speaker and hoping to have his first MMA match soon. If Kyle Maynard thinks Forrest Griffin is incredibly inspirational, the rest of America will eventually fall to his charms as well.

"He's just one of the best people in the world," Maynard said. "He's phenomenal, and he truly deserves this."

Griffin may face an immediate rematch with Jackson, something he alluded to in his first comments as champ while still in the ring. But for now, he can celebrate a stunning and brilliant accomplishment.

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