Griffin takes on coaching job

For the second consecutive season, "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature a coach who had once been a season champion on the series.

First it was Season Four winner Matt Serra who coached during Season Six, which recently concluded.

Now, Las Vegan Forrest Griffin will guide Team Griffin against UFC Light Heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the show's seventh season.

Griffin rose quickly to fame as the winner and one of the standout stars of the first season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's reality show. That season also produced fellow UFC standouts Diego Sanchez, Josh Koscheck, Kenny Florian, Nate Quarry, Chris Leben, Mike Swick and Stephan Bonnar.

Griffin and Jackson will meet for Jackson's belt sometime after the season finale, probably in July. Injuries have put the title fight on hold.

Griffin had shoulder surgery after an upset victory over Mauricio Rua in September. Jackson suffered a hand injury while training for a fight on a different September card.

Though they are light heavyweights, Jackson and Griffin will coach teams of all middleweights on the show, which will begin filming in Las Vegas in January.

• SHERK STRIPPED -- With a legal process that played out since July finally over, UFC officials have stripped Sean Sherk of his lightweight title.

Sherk tested positive for Nandrolone after a July 7 title defense against Hermes Franca.

At the time, he had been banned for a year by the California State Athletic Commission, but after several delays and postponements in the appeals process, the suspension was reduced to six months last week.

Because the process took so long and Sherk got credit for time served, he will be eligible to return in early January.

Monday's announcement means Sherk will do so without his belt. Joe Stevenson and B.J. Penn's Jan. 19 fight in England was to be for the interim crown, but now will be for the official lightweight title.

Sherk is expected to fight the winner of that fight.

• FEDOR UPDATE -- The next opponent for the world's top-ranked heavyweight is still not known, but the fight will be held Dec. 31.

Fedor Emelianenko will fight in Japan against an unnamed opponent on New Year's Eve, live on the Mark Cuban-owned HDNet.

The network is not available on Cox Cable in Las Vegas, but is part of both DirecTV and DISH Network satellite packages.

HDNet also will broadcast Saturday's fight card in Dallas featuring Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Frank Trigg in separate bouts.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or (702) 224-5509.