Georges St-Pierre’s Legacy

With the UFC 130 St-Pierre vs. Shields event approaching there is lot of talk about GSP’s Legacy, something he often speaks of himself.  Many consider him the greatest welterweight of all times.  The question remains does GSP have to move to Middleweight to truly be a legend.  This whole move to Middleweight is of course discussed assuming he beats Jake Shields, while Shields is no easy task for any welterweight or middleweight for that matter, for this discussion we will assume GSP wins his the fight.

George St-Pierre has arguably the most impressive record of any welterweight, second maybe only to hall of famer Matt Hughes.  In GSP’s most recent fight he has coasted to victory with relative ease over his opponents.  His size and top-notch wrestling leave many to question how many other challenges he has left at welterweight.  With this lack of competition many fans have grown excited over the possible super fight between GSP and Anderson Silva.  Silva has not commented much on the fight, but does seem very open to the possibility.  When questioned GSP doesn’t give a very solid answer, he obviously has to focus on Shields and not look past this fight but his politically correct answers seem to leave more questions.  He has long spoken of how he would need to bulk up in order to move up to middleweight and while no one can argue that bulking up takes time and is a wise decision he has been saying this for well over a year.  While I’m sure fans can understand how he wants to take this move up in weight seriously; eventually they will question why he isn’t taking the fight.

Many fighters have jumped up in weight to challenge for the belt, or even just to challenge themselves.  Some fighters have met great success while others have lost many of their ventures to higher weights but in either case they are always applauded for their efforts.  Two great examples of moving up are Anderson Silva and BJ Penn.  Silva has stepped up to light heavyweight on two occasions in the UFC winning both fights in the first round in devastating fashion.  His destruction of former champion Forrest Griffin left much of the MMA world stunned.  BJ Penn on the other hand has stepped up on numerous occasions and has had only mild success if you just look at the win loss columns.  BJ however, goes down as a legend due to the fact that he has stepped all the way from lightweight to fighting a heavyweight Lyoto Machida.  While losing several of his ventures to higher weight classes BJ has proved that he will fight anyone, and is confident in his skills even as the smaller fighter.

Does GSP have to move up to middleweight to true be a legend?  I think GSP can be solidified as the king of welterweight without moving up. However, he will not be on many pound for pound greatest lists.  If he passes up an opportunity to prove that he is more dominate not only in size but also in skill then many will start to question just how great he really is.  Also passing up a super fight will make it appear as though he is afraid not only to lose but also afraid of Silva, this may not be the case at all but I predict that many could and would perceive it that way.  A true champion will fight any and all comers and is not afraid to challenge anyone. If GSP turns this fight down I believe it would hurt his legacy more than losing to Silva.

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Diaz vs. Daley Post Fight Recap

April 9^th marked the first Strikeforce event under the new Zuffa banner.  Scott Coker and Dana White have both stated things would remain business as usual for Strikeforce, last night this held true.  Diaz vs. Daley ran just like any other Strikeforce event with the exception of seeing Dana White in the Audience with a Strikeforce tee shirt on.  Also there was much talk of the UFC and possible super fights between the UFC and Strikeforce.  It was a quick, but great night of fights, with KO’s subs and epic mustaches.

The night started with Aoki/Beerbohm, which was a fight that Aoki was given to win.  Beerbohm was just no match for Aoki, with a wrestling base he was sure to end up on the ground in Aoki’s world.  Aoki quickly got top control and took Beerbohm’s back quickly looking for a choke, he settled for a neck crank which ended the fight at 1:33 of the opening round.

The next fight on the main card was Mousasi/Jardine.  This fight was reffed by a man with one of the most epic moustaches known to man, however the moustache did not help with making good calls.  Jardine took this fight on less than 2 weeks notice and with his very questionable chin this fight wasn’t expected to go long according to many.  Mousasi vowed to be more aggressive which I did not see happen.  It also amazed me to see how little Mousasi has worked on his take down defense since losing the belt to King Mo; who essentially took him down and controlled top position for 5 rounds.  The first round was a close one where Jardine was able to secure a few take downs, but they did not lead to any ground and pound. Mousasi was back on his feet within seconds.  Mousasi won the stand up exchanges stalking Jardine down, Jardine looked rocked and winded towards the end of the round.  The first was however tainted by a point deduction with no warning from a very insignificant strike.  Mousasi threw an up kick that landed as Jardine was taking a knee. The 2^nd and 3^rd round looked virtually identical, Mousasi stalking Jardine down and picking him apart, at the start of the 2^nd Jardine was already bloodied up above both eyes.  Jardine was able to secure the occasional take down but every takedown lead to nothing. No ground and pound and no advancement of position with Mousasi back on his feet within seconds.  The ref made another questionable call stopping the fight in the middle of a Mousasi flurry to replace a fallen mouthpiece, giving Jardine more time to recover.  The judges ruled the bout a majority draw which again showcases the flaw in North American judging, takedowns that lead to nothing were enough to keep Jardine in the fight even though he was being picked apart standing, bloodied and rocked on numerous occasions!  Even with the point deduction Mousasi won the fight.

Melendez/Kawajiri entered the cage for the first Title fight of the night, in a rematch from a meeting in Pride back in 2006, where Melendez won a Decision.  Melendez came out super aggressive standing, not wanting to leave this fight to the judges!  Melendez was throwing huge punches, he connected early with a right that dropped Kawajiri, he kept this momentum going throwing bomb after bomb.  They eventually ended up against the cage where Melendez continued to throw huge shots. Once the fight hit the mat Melendez put himself in top position and utilized Strikeforce’s new unified rules allowing elbows and threw a Hellbow that stopped the fight!!  Melendez wins and retains his belt by TKO at 3:14 of the first round.

Now it was time for the Main Event Diaz/Daley.  This was a fight no one wanted to blink during. The bout was fast passed and momentum shifted several times.  Diaz started with his patent hands down trash talking style, luring Daley in.  Daley was caught off guard when Diaz came forward in exchanges aggressively throwing strikes.  Diaz seemed to catch Daley early a few times wobbling his feet and backing him up.  Momentum shifted when Daley was able to land his highly feared left hook, which dropped Diaz hard.  He followed Diaz to the ground looking to finish but Diaz was able to recover and work back to his feet.  From here Diaz started landing often, working the body as well as the head.  With just seconds remaining in the opening round Diaz dropped Daley and followed him to the ground finishing him with strikes from top position for a TKO victory at 4:57.  Daley was badly wobbled and needed assistance getting to a stool.  Diaz keeps his title and shows yet again why he is a top welterweight, beating Daley at his own game, not looking for the easy victory by taking the fight to the ground.

With only 4 fights on the main card this was going to be a short event, but with 3 of those 4 bouts ending in the first round the event only lasted for just over 90 minutes.  It was very disappointing that Strikeforce didn’t take advantage of this free time to air some of the preliminary fights.  They had the opportunity to show 2 or 3 more fights as 3 of the prelims ended in the first round, and wouldn’t have taken much time to air with skipped entrances.  Overall the night was a great night of fights, Strikeforce has its holes, mainly the commentary staff but it is nice to see some variety from the UFC events.  Things like keys to victory, compustrike and even the video game pre fight clips are a great addition to the show.  It’s hard to complain about a free MMA show with 2 Title fights on the card, Strikeforce did not disappoint and has many exciting fights on upcoming events.

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Diaz Vs. Daley Fight Picks

Diaz vs. Daley- This should prove to be a very entertaining fight. Diaz certainly has more ways to win. His jiu-jitsu is very effective and he's good at using his length standing. Daley has significant power in his hands and great technique but this is a very tough match-up for him as he still has a very rudimentary ground game. In the end I think Diaz will be competitive standing using his jab and peppering technique but will eventually take Daley down and submit him.

Diaz Round 2 submission

Melendez vs. Kawajiri- Kawajiri looked impressive in his last fight with repeated takedowns and effective ground and pound winning a clear unanimous decision.  Even with the impressive performance the momentum is clearly with Melendez who is on a 4 fight win streak and holds a victory over Kawajiri. Melendez has the advantage standing and I believe has the ability to keep the fight standing. He eventually catches Kawajiri in the championship round and finishes with ground and pound.

Melendez Round 4 TKO

Mousasi vs. Jardine- Jardine has done Zuffa/Strikeforce a huge favor by taking this fight on short notice. Keith is trying to work his way back to the big leagues after being dropped by the UFC following a 5 fight losing streak.  Jardine is possibly the least consistent fighter in MMA, he has had some great performances, but I don't think we will be seeing that here. Mousasi has the advantage in all areas, and will decide where the fight takes place. With Jardines very questionable chin I expect to see Mousasi come out aggressive trying to finish the fight early.

Mousasi Round 1 KO

Aoki vs. Beerbohm- Aoki enters this fight on a 3 fight win streak while Beerbohm dropped his last fight. This is definitely Aoki's fight to lose he will come out as he always does looking to take the fight to the ground as soon as possible, which shouldn't be hard as he is comfortable fighting off his back and won't mind if Beerbohm shoots for a takedown. Aoki will aggressively attack subs until he finds a limb to take home with him.

Aoki round 2 submission

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Teammate vs. Teammate: Optional or Mandatory

As the top camps in MMA continue to grow with more and more fighters, the potential need for teammate vs. teammate matches increases.  Many camps and fighters have long said that teammates would never face off inside the cage. However, fighting the title has never been part of this equation. We are now seeing a situation in John Jones vs. Rashad Evans where the desire to be champion outweighs the feelings against fighting a teammate.

For years Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck have stated many times that they would never fight each other regardless of the stakes. Other camps and fighters have followed suit, Rashad Evans and Keith Jardine also explained their "brotherhood" and how nothing could motivate them to face off inside the cage.  While many have said nearly the exact same thing the true need for teammates to face off hasn't ever occurred.  Fans seem to be pretty split on this issue; although the fans have never put much demand in seeing teammates square off. Interestingly enough there have been occasions where not teammates, but Brothers have displayed an interest in fighting one another. Both the Shamrock and Lauzon brothers have not only said they would fight each other but actually also showed interest in a possible fight. Fighters trying to enter The Ultimate Fighter house have been willing to fight just for the opportunity to fight in a competition that would in turn lead to a UFC contract or fight.

If brothers and fighters who haven't even made it yet are willing to fight why aren't many top fighters? This is a question that has long puzzled me, as fighters their sole job is to fight opponents put in front of them, fights that fans want to see.  I personally think teammate match ups should be reserved for title situations or to determine a clear number one contender.  It seems that most fighters are not shy about sharing how intense their training and sparring sessions are; so why not show the fans in a title match? Multiple fighters have stated that they wouldn't fight a teammate, but go on to say in the same interview that they battle it out on a daily basis with said teammate.  Fighters can go to war everyday in preparation for a fight. So why can't they put on an exciting fight to please their fans; and also to earn a paycheck in the process?  Many including myself have long thought that the title being added into the picture would change things drastically. Which would cause fans to think that is exactly what has happened with John Jones vs Rashad Evans.  Every fighter’s dream is to be the champion, and it seems that at least for Evans; not even a supposed pact to not fight a training partner will stand in the way of fighting for the belt.

At the end of the day fighters get paid to fight. No matter what company or camp they work for they are paid to fight. If any fighter has any aspirations to be the champion and hopes to earn a title shot they must (should) be willing to face anyone and everyone!  With all of this said I don't by any means think this is something that should be taken advantage of where training partners are forced to fight just for the sole purpose of seeing teammates fight. However, there are plenty of circumstances where it needs to happen.  As fans we can only hope that Jones and Evans can have a great title fight, and continue a professional relationship and help set a new precedent in regards to teammates fighting off. 

 

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