Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:50 pm EDT
Couture: Carano and Griffin losses will be good for their careers
By Steve Cofield
Forrest Griffin ran from the Octagon at UFC 101 after his loss to Anderson Silva, but contrary to popular belief, he didn't go into hiding. He was back in his new hometown, Las Vegas the next day and went to check out WEC 42 at the Hard Rock. Randy Couture spoke about Griffin and one of his other students, Gina Carano, as they make their way back from tough losses recently:
"Obviously, Forrest was very emotional in the cage when he lost to Anderson (Silva), but I think that's because he works so damn hard, and like everybody, we all hate to lose. He's been back in the gym already. I saw him (Monday) here and he's back to training."
Couture said it was a similar story with Carano:
"The same thing for Gina. Obviously she was a little embarrassed by the outcome (in losing to Cris Cyborg), but overall she did a great job in that fight. She had some opportunities to win and she did some good things. She did some things we trained to do."
Couture told the media gathered on the UFC 102 teleconference, losses can be productive turns in your career. It just depends on how the fighter handles things following a defeat:
"I know from my own experience, the fights that I've lost were very important to me, and if I could go back and change them, I don't think I would. I think I learned more and became a better person and a better athlete for having experienced those things. And I know Gina and Forrest are both in that same boat."
Couture tries to bounce back from his loss against Brock Lesnar next week in Portland against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.