I’ve been a Mixed Martial Arts fan since the tournament days back when we were all introduced to BJJ and great fighters such as Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn and Don Frye.
It’s been great watching the development of the fighters and the sport as a whole. Like every other sport, we have all been treated to mega fights that seem to come along every few years. You know fights like Gracie-Ken Shamrock, Frye-Coleman, Tito-Frank Shamrock, Liddell-Silva and most recently Lesnar-Couture.
Unfortunately, very few times these great fights take place exactly when they should. I believe BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre is possibly the greatest fight in MMA history, though, with both men in their prime and seemingly untouchable. Thank you, Dana White, for putting this fight together for all of us true MMA fanatics.
As I anxiously await for UFC 94, I can’t help but notice most of the articles I read are written by people that believe GSP is an overwhelming favorite. I enjoy watching GSP fight and one would have to be a fool to believe that he is anything other than one of the top 10 fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, and top five from 170 pounds and below. With that being said, BJ Penn is a better fighter and he will prove it to the world when they face each other on Jan. 31.
I can hear it now, “GSP beat him before and he will do it again.” Well, it is true GSP holds a split decision win over Baby Jay, and nobody can take that away from him. A win that St. Pierre must surely remember, after all; he did spend the night in the hospital afterward.
I still don’t understand how anyone could look at the two in their interviews after their first fight and believe GSP won. He did manage to take BJ down and defend against BJ’s submission attempts for most of rounds two and three after BJ battered him from one side of the cage to the other in the first. At best that fight should have been a draw with BJ winning the first round, 10-8, and GSP winning rounds two and three, 10-9. The past is passed, and that terrible decision surely will motivate Penn.
Since the second Hughes fight, Penn made a career decision to start training like a professional. Raw talent led BJ to be one of the best pound for pound MMA fighters in the world and a BJJ world champion. Pound for pound that has a meaning of it’s own when it comes to BJ Penn; after all, he did go toe to toe with Lyoto Machida at 205 and put on a BJJ clinic against Renzo and Rodrigo Gracie at 185, then smashed Takanori Gomi at 160, so I guess you could say he’s just one of the world's greatest fighters who steps it up in any weight class.
His submission skills are better than GSP's, his standup is better than GSP's and, this time, his conditioning will be better than GSP's. BJ cut 20 pounds in two days to make 170 for their first fight; he has stated that he will not cut weight for their upcoming fight and will weigh in between 160-165 pounds in the best shape of his life.
St. Pierre’s wrestling skills and his size will not factor into this fight; you can count on it. BJ has fought larger fighters before and he has never been overwhelmed.
Look out, Georges, BJ will not gas this time, and if you try and lay on him because you’re afraid to engage standing, he is going to choke you out. Don’t forget, GSP has been knocked out before, by a lesser opponent, and on Jan. 31 at UFC 94 he will sleep again.
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about 1 month ago
BJ Penn has the highest level BJJ and striking in MMA (adjusted for MMA, I'm not saying BJ is the best striker to ever compete in MMA, Peter Aerts is, but MMA striking is different, and BJ is one of the best strikers as adjusted for MMA)
This fight in my opinion will depend on these things:
1- BJ's gastank, conditioning, and discipline in preparation.
2- BJ's adjustments in strategy to make allowance for UFC's LnP-favoring judging criteria.
3- GSP's mental game. He has been gun-shy since Serra...
We should watch the weigh ins. It's like with Couture-Lesnar. Randy looked old and dry. Many experts right there said: "Randy is f_cked tomorrow night". I posted that myself too (not saying I'm a big expert). This fight is the same: If we see BJ in shape, chances are he is going to do well, if we see him fat, GSP will likely win.
from about 1 month ago
GSP's wrestling may be the best in MMA as far as take downs, take down defense and in transitions. Hughes, Koschek and Fitch all rely on heavily on their wrestling skills in much the same way. I believe that all three fighters are taylor made for St. Pierre's style and that is why he has looked so dominant. He is a great fighter but I truly believe BJ has what it takes to beat him. It's very hard to take Penn down and he will not use wrestling to counter if Rush does get him down. BJ's flexibility is off the chart and just as we all know his stamina is the final piece of the puzzle.
about 1 month ago
I suppose if I loved BJ Penn I would be thrilled with your article. . . ah. but I do not. I fine a lot of your reasoning very faulty. I do not know if it is only Bj Penn fans who forget that two round won are greater than one, or exactly where they get that the result ofr the first fight was "wrong." Georges took BJ down at will in the second and third rounds. That in itself would take away the arguement that Penn is/was unbeatable. I just do not get where you and Anthony are coming from. I will agree though that when one is dealing with a BJ Penn fight, there have always been a lot of "ifs" involved. Another thing I will never understand is how Georges is considered to have more psychological issues than BJ when Georges has had much fewer instances of self doubt than has Mr. Penn. Losing to Jens Pulver? It seemed that the loss unhinged Bj's mind. The endless roid rants with the Sean Sherk fight? Did they legalize Pot and allow those who have smoked to fight? No, I believe pot smoking is frowned on as roids are; yet Mr. Penn has admitted to partaking of weed--Mr. Sherk has not admitted to taking roids. Hypocracy" Hmm, let's just think that one through. And mental stability being an issue in your article? Who exactly could not live with the results of the Penn-St. Pierre fight? Which fighter has made it a major issue of his very existance ever since the discision was announced. Who has continually harped on it ad nauseum? Wouldn't this denote a very serious obsession/mental issue?
from about 1 month ago
Dorothy,
I never said BJ is the favorite in this fight. I only said he will do well if he looks in shape, and will likely lose if he is not. I didn't even say he will win even if in shape.
It is a FACT that BJ has THE highest level jujitsu in the world. There is nobody better. (This, by the way is the opinion of GSP's very own coach). His MMA striking is also the very best there is. He is a world class boxer level according to some elitist BOXING promoters who hate MMA and are always looking for ways to bash MMA fighters. Yet even they say BJ is the best striker they ever saw compete in MMA.
GSP is a better wrestler, and a bigger guy, and UFC judging criteria favors wrestlers. In Pride their first fight would be a one-sided victory for BJ Penn, as he would get points for sub attempts etc, but in UFC GSP's takedowns are higher up on the judging criteria list.
All I'm saying is that if BJ finds a way to not be on his back the fight is even or even in his favor, but if GSP takes him down it'll be a repeat of the first fight.
best,
about 1 month ago
BJ has no doubt wanted this fight more than Georges but I think that it's just because Georges has more to lose than BJ. In theory GSP should win because he naturally a larger athlete If BJ has a good showing it says a lot because he moved up in weight and made a good fight of it. If GSP looses this fight then he let a smaller man move up in weight and beat him. As for Sean Sherk and BJ's rants on steroids it's because the drug is meant to make you stroner and faster. If someone is going to be punching you in the face you wouldn't want them to be stronger than the average human. Having used steroids in my twenties I can tell you from first hand experience the added strength and speed you get with their use is mind blowing. They put you on another level mentally and physically. I will say that BJ does march to the beat of his own unique drum but most fighters do in one way or another.
about 1 month ago
5 STARS AND POTD..GREAT LOOK AT THE FIGHT FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE..EVEN THOUGH I DONT AGREE WITH BJ PENNS DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR..IM OPEN TO THE POINT OF VIEW THAT ITS A PR STUNT..AND COULD BE ORCHESTRATED BY DANA WHITE...I ALSO DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY PISS IN THE FRUIT SALAD..DANAS SHOW IS BECOMING A NON -REALITY..SOAP OPERA..JUNIE STATED HIS BEHAVIOR WAS PART OF THE SHOWS PUBLIC RELATIONS THEORY THAT NO PRESS IS BAD PRESS./I NO LONGER WATCH TUF..80 PERCENT IS SCRIPTED.
/THANKS STOKER
about 1 month ago
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/87033-bernard-hopkins-from-rage-to-riches
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