Dana: GSP vs Hendricks is in doubt, GSP vs Anderson could be next instead

THIS...

REED Certainly Doesn't Begrudge GSP for Getting the Job Done...His Job is to WIN Fights, as Opposed to Being a Crowd Pleaser...

GSP's Chin/Strike Resistance FAILED him in the Past, so he's Virtually ELIMINATED it from the Equation...ASTUTE Move on his Part...It's Similar to Guillermo Rigondeaux a Couple Weeks Back...He KNOWS he Doesn't have the Best Set of Whiskers in the Game, so he MINIMIZES the Risk of Getting Chin Checked...

The Vast Majority of HARDCORE MMA Fans, Writers, Fighters, etc., KNOW this to Be True about GSP...


REED:hammert:

 

The Motives Don't Even Matter to REED...Do what You HAVE to Do to Win the Fight...

But to Sit Here Acting as if GSP is Some Impenetrable Force w/a STOUT Chin/Punch Resistance is INACCURATE...ALL Signs Point to the Contrary...



REED:hammert:

 

If you mean that his weakness is he is not a top level striker, especially against top level opponents with strong chins, you're right. But if you think his weakness is a glass jaw, you're wrong.

GSP's best aspect in his fight game is his wrestling. His striking doesn't compare. His BJJ doesn't compare. He is smart enough to know that to remain on an elite level, he needs to fight his fight. And his fight doesn't consist of standing and trading. If he were to go out there and go toe to toe with his opponents, he would probably get knocked out, but not because of a weak chin, but because in MMA if you are gonna trade punches with fighters who are on another level than you when it comes to striking, unless you have an anvil for a chin, you're gonna get knocked out. And very few fighters in MMA have an anvil chin, but it doesn't make their chins 'suspect' by any means.

And you have to believe, if GSP did have a suspect chin, it would've been exposed long before his 15th professional fight.

The whole GSP\suspect chin connection is ridiculous.


TFK

 

The FACT that GSP Chose to Alter his Style AFTER a KO Loss SHITS on your Assertion...Diarrhea Shit...

PRIOR to Serra I, GSP was Thought of as 1 of THE More VERSATILE Guys in MMA, was he Not???...The FACT that he's Fighting SMARTER/SAFER Post-KO Loss is a Means of HIDING his Weakness...GSP's Stand Up ISN'T his Weakness, it's his Ability to WITHSTAND Strikes...

You YOURSELF View GSP vs. Silva as a "Mismatch"...Based On???...REED's Betting it's Because Silva is a High Level Striker & GSP has a SUSPECT CHIN/Strike Resistance...That's Really THE ONLY Area of the Fight where Silva has a Decided Edge...

But Please, Do Tell...Why Do YOU View Silva-GSP as a "Mismatch" (YOUR OWN Words)???....



REED:hammert:

 

Mostly, size. GSP's ideal fighting weight is 170. The talk of him moving up has nothing to do with him growing out of 170 or being a big welterweight, it comes from people wanting to see a P4P matchup. Silva fights at 185 and has fought twice, and won both by KO, at 205. So I just don't see GSP having any success against a fighter who is not only considerably bigger and stronger than he is, not just a fighter who would show absolutely no respect standing up because he knows GSP's punches won't hurt him, but also a fighter who just happens to arguably be the best fighter to ever compete in the sport.

Very few fighters are able to find success in multiple weight classes. Only BJ Penn and Randy Couture have held titles in two different weight classes in the UFC, and the sport has evolved greatly since that time. I don't see any way GSP moves up in weight, fights a much bigger and stronger Anderson Silva, and makes it a competitive fight.

TFK</nonsensical></edited>

 

If REED's Not Mistaken, GSP-Silva Would Be @ a CATCHWEIGHT, Right???....Either Way & MORE Importantly, Anderson Silva is a FINESSE Fighter...If he was a PHYSICAL Middleweight, Your Point about Silva's "Strength" would Be Valid, but When's the Last Time Silva OUTMUSCLED a Guy???...

GSP has OUTSTANDING MMA Wrestling, an Area Silva is PISS POOR In...Make No Mistake, Silva Would Look to Do Damage from a DISTANCE...If he Beats GSP, it has NATHAN to Do w/Strength or Size...

It's like REED Said, Silva's Striking is his Asset, while GSP's Strike Resistance is his Liability...That's THE ONLY Logical Reason Anybody Looks @ Silva vs. GSP as a "Mismatch"...Even YOU KNOW this, You're just Toooo Stubborn to Come OUT of that Corner U've Now Painted Yourself Into....

Faaaaaaaaar Toooooooooooo Many ASTUTE MMA Sources Cite GSP's "Chin" as his Weakness...To Act as if that Train of Thought is 100% UNFOUNDED or "Ridiculous" is Akin to Burying your Head in the Proverbial Sand....


REED:hammert:

 

It definitely would. Despite his huge advantage in wrestling, GSP's wrestling just wouldn't work on a guy that much bigger and stronger. GSP would struggle to take him down, and struggle even more to keep him there and control him, through no other reason than size/weight.

 

I have to take exception to something TFK posted. GSP's striking has become as good as anyone's in the division in my opinion. He doesn't choose to wrestle because his kickboxing sucks. That's just incorrect. GSP can strike on even terms with guys like Condit and Diaz based on his recent fights with each. And his jab might be one of the very best in MMA and certainly one of the best among 170 pounders.

i don't think GSP wrestles because his stand-up sucks.

 

A good piece of evidence will be put on display this Saturday. There isn't a 185 pound fighter alive that Sonnen can't take down. But I bet that changes dramatically at 205 this weekend.

 

So Basically, You Think GSP has Stylistic Issues w/ANY Middleweight???...REED Sure Doesn't...If Silva WEREN'T @ 185, REED Thinks GSP would Be Campaigning There Already...

SUCCESSFULLY...




REEDopcorn:

 

But UNlike Anderson Silva, Bones Jones has a WRESTLING Base & the Know-How to Thwart Takedowns...If/When Sonnen has Difficulty Getting Jones to the Ground, REED Thinks THAT will Be the Biggest Reason Why...



REEDopcorn:

 

It's just silly to think that Silva's size and strength advantage would have nothing to do with him beating GSP. Like I said earlier in the thread, GSP may be able to get Silva down, but he's not strong enough to keep him there.


TFK

 

That's a hell of a stretch, but I understand why you would say it. Yes, his jab has really evolved, and if he can throw punches with technique and movement from a distance, he succeeds. But he doesn't have the power to really stand and trade or to get into a war. And for as good as you may believe his standup is, you have to agree it certainly doesn't compare with his wrestling.

TFK

 

I think he can, but what will he be able to do once he does get him down? I'm guessing not much.

I'm really rooting for Jones in this fight, mostly because if Sonnen wins, we'll never hear the end of it from him.

The sad thing about Sonnen is, when he acts like a professional, he is excellent. He does a very good job in his TV duties, and as a coach on TUF, he was the complete opposite of the attention whore jackass most expected him to be. But when he slips into his Pro Wrestling Promo character and tries to sell fights, he makes a bigger fool out of himself than Hegman after a 6 pack. It was funny enough leading up to the first Silva fight, but after getting beaten twice by him, it's just hot air.

TFK

 

It really is the only interesting question about this fight. I say no.

Jones has fought some pretty good 205 pound wrestlers in Rashad, Bader and Hamill. In those fights he was taken down ZERO times. I think Sonnen is a better MMA wrestler than each of those guys Pound for Pound. Unfortunately the fight with Jones is at 205 and Sonnen is in for a tough fight.

i also recall the absolute struggle Sonnen went thru to try to get Bisping down. I have to think a bigger, faster Jon Jones will be tougher than Bispimg to take down.

 

Agree with all. Not a miracle if Sonnen takes him down, but I don't think he will.

Even if he gets Jones down, I would expect Jones to get away right away or do more damage from the bottom. If Sonnen is actually able to put some hurt on Jones I will be very surprised and impressed, at least as impressed as you can be for a juiced person accomplishing something solely because of the juice.

 

agREED...

REED Wants Bones to Win, While Having to Pass Yet Another TEST in the Process...Machida Actually WON a Round vs. Bones, Belfort Nearly Snapped his Arm...Hopefully Sonnen TESTS him in Yet Another Way, Because as You Said, it'll Only Make Bones BETTER Down the Road...




REED:mj:

 

I agree, I think GSP stand up is as good as anyone in the division ( save maybe a one dimensionnal guy like Dayley ), and that his power is very underrated. The reasons he wouldn't win as much using his stand up is indeed because his chin is weak, an aspect he can hide by relying so much on his wrestling.