Grishin competes in the heavyweight division, despite weighing around 220 lb,[3] a mere 15 lb over the light heavyweight weight limit. Grishin, therefore, is regarded as a small heavyweight, though he has fast striking ability.[4]
He trains with the Red Devil Sport Club[3] – the training facility of Fedor Emelianenko and other top Russian fighters.[4][5] As part of the Red Devil Sport Club, Grishin has also trained in Stary Oskol at the St. Alexander Nevsky Sport Palace.[6] In the build-up for his intended M-1 Global title fight against Guram Gugenishvili, Grishin trained with Kirill Sidelnikov, Dmitry Samoilov, Viktor Nemkov and Alexei Nazarov.[6] Unfortunately, Grishin was forced to withdraw from the bout with a knee injury that occurred during a national hand-to-hand combat fighting championship in Ufa. Consequently, M-1 Global Americas Champion Kenny Garner gained the opportunity to challenge fight Gugenishvili for the M-1 Heavyweight Challenge Title.[7]
Early career
Grishin made his professional mixed martial arts debut against Gela Getsadze[8] at the World Pankration Championship.[9] After going the two-round distance, Grishin was declared the winner via unanimous decision.[4] However, that same night, Judo ace Baga Agaev[10] used an armbar to force Grishin to submit just 47 seconds into their match.[3]
M-1 Global
Grishin joined M-1 Global in 2009, claiming a TKO victory in his first bout in March of that year.[3] Grishin faced Joaquim Ferreira[11] in Brazil soon after, but lost via north-south choke.[12] Grishin suffered a further loss at the hands of Shane del Rosario[13] in South Korea, defeated by TKO in just 21 seconds.[14]
After a further two wins in the M-1 Global organisation,[3] Grishin appeared for the Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki promotion at KSW 12, where he faced Dawid Baziak.[15] Baziak defeated Grishin via unanimous decision.[16] Returning to M-1 organisation, Grishin joined their Eastern European tournament. His opening round fight was against Gadzhimurad Nurmagomedov,[17] which Grishin won via TKO in round 1[18] to progress to the semi-final. There, Grishin met Arsen Abdulkerimov,[19] again winning via TKO to reach the final.[20]
In the final, Grishin had to face his training partner Alexander Volkov.[6] Despite Volkov's superior record of 7–1, Grishin won the fight via rear naked choke in the opening round.[21] Consequently, Grishin became the M-1 Global Eastern European Heavyweight Champion. As Eastern European Champion, Grishin was scheduled to face Guram Gugenishvili, the Western European Champion,[22] for the inaugural M-1 Global Heavyweight Championship.[6] However, a month before the fight, Grishin withdrew with a knee injury providing M-1 Selection Americas Champion Kenny Garner with an opportunity to challenge for the title.[7]
Grishin faced Joachim Christensen on May 16, 2012 at М-1 Challenge 32 in his light heavyweight debut.[23] He won via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–27).[24] and was due to face Western Europe Champion Guram Gugenishvili[25][22] for the M-1 Global heavyweight title until a knee injury forced his withdrawal.[7]
Grishin faced Trevor Prangley, gilling in for an injured Mike Kyle, at Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 17 on 30 September 2014.[28] He won the fight via TKO in the second round.[29]
Professional Fighters League
2018 Season
Grishin made his PFL debut on June 21, 2018 at PFL 2 (2018 season) against Jason Butcher. Grishin won the fight in the first round after Butcher injured his ankle and foot after falling down.[30]
Grishin then faced Rakim Cleveland on August 2, 2018 at PFL 5 (2018 season). He won the bout via rear-naked choke in the second round.[31]
Having won both of his bouts, Grishin advanced to the Quarter-Finals, where he faced Smealinho Rama on October 13, 2018 at PFL 9 (2018 season). The bout ended in a majority draw after two rounds. However Rama advanced further in the tournament via first round tiebreaker, wherein the winner of the first round advances further.[32]
2019 Season
Grishin appeared on the next season, marking the occasion by facing former UFC fighter Jordan Johnson on June 6, 2019 at PFL 3 (2019 season). Grishin won the fight via unanimous decision.[33]
Having won the first two bouts of this season like last one, Grishin would rematch against Jordan Johnson in the Quarterfinals on October 31, 2019 at PFL 9 (2019 season). Just like last season, he would draw with his opponent and be eliminated via the first round tiebreaker.[35]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Grishin made his UFC debut as a replacement for Alexander Romanov against Marcin Tybura on July 11, 2020 at UFC 251. Grishin lost the fight via unanimous decision.[36]
Grishin faced Dustin Jacoby on February 27, 2021 at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane.[39] At the weigh-ins, Maxim Grishin weighed in at 210.5 pounds, four and a half pounds over the light heavyweight non-title fight limit of 206 pounds. His bout proceeded at a catchweight and Grishin was fined 30% of his individual purse, which went Dustin.[40] He lost a close bout via unanimous decision.[41]
Grishin was expected to face Ed Herman on February 12, 2022 at UFC 271.[44] However, Herman pulled out off the bout and was replaced by William Knight.[45] At the weigh-ins, Knight weighed in at 218 pounds, 12 pounds over the light heavyweight non-title fight limit, marking the biggest weight miss in UFC history.[46] As a result, the bout was shifted to heavyweight and Knight was fined 40% of his purse, which went to Grishin.[47] Grishin won the bout via unanimous decision.[48]
Grishin was scheduled to face Jailton Almeida on May 21, 2022 at UFC Fight Night 206.[49] However, Grishin pulled out due to undisclosed reasons in late April. Almeida decided to move up to heavyweight and will face Parker Porter.[50]
Grishin was scheduled to face Philipe Lins on October 1, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 211.[51] Despite both men weighing in successfully, the bout was cancelled while the event was in progress due to an undisclosed medical issue.[52]
The bout between Grishin and Jailton Almeida was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 214 on November 5, 2022.[53] On the Monday of fight week, the bout was reported scrapped from this card for unknown reasons.[54]
On June 7, it was announced that Grishin was not extended a new contract and no longer on the UFC roster.[57]
Post UFC
In his first performance after leaving the UFC, Grishin faced Asylzhan Bakhytzhanuly on December 15, 2023 at RCC 17, winning a controversial unanimous decision.[58]
