UFC 158: GSP vs Diaz

[Ryan]

I think the reason people call GSP a decision fighter as opposed to Bendo is that Bendo fights so much more aggressively than GSP. With the way GSP fights, it just seems that he actually wants the fights to go to decision while when Bendo fights, he goes hard with the stand up so it seems like despite his best efforts to finish, the fights go to decision. There's a distinct difference in how aggressive they are and I feel that's why people call GSP a decision fighter and someone like Bendo a finisher.

I watched the fight and I actually thought it was good. I used to think GSP was boring but as I get more into the sport, I can see the technicality of how he fights. He thoroughly dominated Diaz in that fight and even when the fight was standing, GSP held his own. You know a fighter is frustrated when they try and hit their opponent after the bell... twice. Diaz has no respect and I was glad that even though he talked shit about what would happen if the fight was standing and what would happen once the fight got on the ground (as if anyone could even pose a challenge to GSP on the ground), he still lost decisively.

 

[monkeystyle]

I think the reason people call GSP a decision fighter as opposed to Bendo is that Bendo fights so much more aggressively than GSP. With the way GSP fights, it just seems that he actually wants the fights to go to decision while when Bendo fights, he goes hard with the stand up so it seems like despite his best efforts to finish, the fights go to decision. There's a distinct difference in how aggressive they are and I feel that's why people call GSP a decision fighter and someone like Bendo a finisher.

I appreciate what you're trying to say but GSP still out struck Diaz by almost 3 to 1. If that isn't aggressive then I don't know what to say. GSP has, in general, put some stiff beat downs on his opponents but there is this culture of hate around him that is absolutely senseless.

 

[Ryan]

I appreciate what you're trying to say but GSP still out struck Diaz by almost 3 to 1. If that isn't aggressive then I don't know what to say. GSP has, in general, put some stiff beat downs on his opponents but there is this culture of hate around him that is absolutely senseless.

Oh believe me, I know it. All I know is that I was watching this fight with 10 people and they all thought it was boring. I don't really think people were noticing the strikes just because GSP is on the ground so much. He may strike a lot, but I still wouldn't call him aggressive. He's very cerebral about it, he doesn't just go for the kill.

 

[The Cork]

6 decisions in a row, Fitch has been finished, Koscheck has been finished, etc. GSP's opponents aren't unfinishable fighters, GSP is just a decision fighter, there's no point in denying that. Not once did GSP throw a punch, kick, whatever that had the intent to finish Diaz despite controlling 90% of the fight.

Come on man, totally unfair.

Fitch has been finished once I can remember, and Kos is a durable guy too.

It's not as if GSP is out there laying on people doing nothing like Okami does, he actually works. Plus it brings up the old boxing question, whats more impressive - starching out a guy in 10 seconds or dominating for 25 mins...

 

[Ryan]

Come on man, totally unfair.

Fitch has been finished once I can remember, and Kos is a durable guy too.

It's not as if GSP is out there laying on people doing nothing like Okami does, he actually works. Plus it brings up the old boxing question, whats more impressive - starching out a guy in 10 seconds or dominating for 25 mins...

I think people discount how good your conditioning has to be to go 5 rounds regardless of if it's on the ground. It takes a lot of energy to hold a guy down for that long. GSP is definitely one of the top 5 fighters in terms of conditioning.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

I'm not denying his talent, GSP is without doubt one of the best MMArtists ever and is good in every area. All I'm saying is he's a point fighter, its his gameplan, his strategy, his style and its obviously so.

This is a stupid argument.

Benson Henderson has 6 decisions in a row, nobody is calling him a decision fighter. Every single one of Demetrious Johnson's fights in the UFC have gone to a decision. 5 out of 6 of Dominick Cruz's fights have ended in decision. 3 out of 5 for Renan Barao. 3 out of 4 for Jose Also since moving to the UFC.

Now if we could only draw some kind of trend from this... oh wait, we can.

Now look at middleweight and above. Tons of finishes from their champions right? It's almost as if the higher weight classes have guys with more weight and therefore potential power behind their punches which means more finishes via strikes

Let's take an even closer look now at that trend.

All of the champions at WW and below were major finishers at some point but something changed when they came to the UFC and started winning via decision on a regular basis. Hmm, wonder what that could be. Could it be that they were just trying to play it safe? Nope, that's a stupid answer. Could it be that the UFC generally has a higher level of fighter that's going to be harder to finish? Bingo.

Why use logic though when blind ignorance is more fun right?

By the way. Nick Diaz hasn't been finished in well over 10 years and the only reason that GSP doesn't have a finish over Koscheck in the 2nd fight is because the cageside doctor was an idiot. That fight should have been stopped at the end of the 2nd round.

Again the guys he faces aren't unstoppable, unfinishable monsters, GSP just doesn't finish them.

 

[Deezy]

Anderson Silva has spoiled MMA fans rotten.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Maybe he has, but GSP doesn't need to go out and clown all of his opponents just show that killer instinct that allowed him to finish the likes of Serra, Hughes, Sherk, Trigg. All top tier WW's in their own regard.

 

[Deezy]

Hughes, Sherk and Trigg were very one dimensional in their prime and were out of their element when the new crop of MMA fighter versed in everything shown up.

Want GSP to finish guys? Give him one dimensional fighters again I guess.

Anderson Silva's title fight record have quite a bit of those guys. Outside of Hendo, and Vitor.

 

[Dale]

He should have finished Dan Hardy without a doubt, arguably should have finished Koscheck too.

 

[Deezy]

Dan Hardy was gumby on the ground. GSP had him in some nasty looking subs. And Kos is tough, just because he beat down by Robbie Lawler doesn't make him some jobber.

Also, GSP's finishing ability doesn't stop his drawing power. The biggest PPV draw the UFC has. People can cry all they want about how he doesn't finish guys, but it doesn't mean shit in the long run.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Early numbers are saying this show did around 800K PPV buys.

 

[Dale]

Yeah but didn't he fuck up Kos' eye with the jab pretty early on? Swear he had a good couple of rounds where he had literally one eye but just kept going with the jab.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Yeah but didn't he fuck up Kos' eye with the jab pretty early on? Swear he had a good couple of rounds where he had literally one eye but just kept going with the jab.

That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. Koscheck was blind in one eye after a couple of rounds, so throw a headkick that he cant see coming, instead Georges just kept jabbing him for another 10-15 minutes.

Decisions happen yes, but GSP's style, his strategy is to actively seek decisions. He's good enough to where he can outclass everyone else for 25 minutes. Again I'm not saying that Georges or the guys he's facing are cans, just that anyone can be finished, but GSP fights for points. He's great at it.

 

[The Cork]

That's the key to his success though, so why would he change it?

What's the point in him going out there Wandy_style throwing a blitz of haymakers and risk getting knocked out, when he can maul guys in cruise control and get easy wins? It's not like he needs to change anything to please the fans, he's already the most watched guy in the sport so he's doing something right.

I don't see GSP the same way as a lot of you do, he isn't boring to watch IMO, his ground game is more impressive than your run-of-the-mill lay and pray guys like Okami or Shields.