Is GSP the best fighter in MMA?

Bob and jar, I agree.

It's as simple as Bob put it actually, which is why it's not even arguable.

 

A year ago, GSP probably would have come in 4th p4p behind Silva, Fedor, and Machida.
Just because 2 of those 3 lost and the other almost lost, now it's obvious he's #1?

Fighters lose in mma. And a loss doesn't mean you aren't better than the guy you lost to. And GSP has one of the worst recent losses with Serra.

That said, I think GSP may be #1 based on his recent dominance of the other top guys in his weight class. But I will say that the other dominant guys in his weight class are all sort of the same type of wrestler-based fighter that GSP matches up well with.

I think there are good arguments for several fighters including Aldo and Shogun.

 

100% correct. Without question.

 

This. Even his fight against the lone elite striker, is taken with a grain of salt considering Thiago was weight drained.

Post-Dolce Alves would be one rematch that I'd actually be interested in seeing.

 

Dont be ignorant. The current Alves is the same Alves that fought GSP. GSP is just THAT GOOD. Get it through your thick little skull.

 

He picks and chooses "versions" of fighters to suit his point of view.

 

That would be a legit point if 2 of the last 3 top contenders that GSP defended against weren't more known for their striking and not wrestlers at all. Hardy and Alves are known for their striking and GSP easily rendered each harmless.

The bottom line is GSP is far more well-rounded than anyone he faces. If he faces a potent striker like Hardy, his wrestling is so good that he keeps it on the mat. If he faces a great wrestler like Koscheck, he eats him alive with sharp striking.

A guy that is very strong at one particular discipline will never beat GSP. GSP is strong in all areas now.

 

Hardy isnt dominant, and Alves was clearly weight drained.

 

Hardy hadn't been legitimately beaten since 2006 and won his first 4 UFC fights. He was dominant until he ran into GSP.

Personally I think he needed to do more to earn a title shot, but being British got him a pretty quick nod. Nevertheless, he was a streaking fighter prior to the GSP fight.

He was as dominant as Koscheck was prior to his recent fight with GSP.

 

A steak against bad to mediocre fighters.

There's a difference between being gifted a title run and actually consistently fighting tough fighters, a la Fitch, Shields, Koscheck, etc.

Gono arguably beat him, and he robbed Davis.

Markham is a complete can and was half dead from the cut, and his best win was against Mike SICK....

He'll probably be cut in the near future, because he'll be hard pressed to win a fight against anyone who can wrestle(which includes the likes of Marcus Davis in Hardy's case) and....well now he just brutally KO'd by a guy who was supposed to be a lesser striker..so who knows who this guy can beat really....

 

GSP vs Alves is a rinse and repeat. Same with Fitch. GSP vs Shields is the match to make at WW. Shields has the great wrestling and sub game, but I would bet it would end up being a rinse and repeat of what we just saw with Kos but worse. Shield's standup is some of the worst out there among elite fighters.

 

Hell, he might struggle against anyone with a left hook that is a little faster than his..

I agree 100% that Hardy was undeserving of a title shot and will never get to that point again.

 

I would like to step forward and claim credit for saying that Hardy didn't deserve the title shot he was getting. I said it before the fight. I am cool.

 

I second that. Consider the motioned passed. You'll get your certificate in the mail.

 

Sweet, it will be framed for sure. I would like to take a second to thank everyone that made this possible.

 

alvez was weight drained for the biggest fight of his life and whose fault is that? haha. he comes back against howard and all of sudden, his consecutive losses to gsp and fitch go right out the window?

i do agree about hardy though. i thought he was always mediocre.

 

Alves looked healthy and explosive again.

I'm just saying I wouldn't complain about a rematch.

 

Everyone looks better when they are fighting lesser opponents. Give him Fitch or GSP and he will be "Weight drained and unmotivated"

 

A very hard lessen to learn. And is why Pettis and Henderson will have a very hard time with even Clay Guida. Alves should fight Koschek.

 

Right, him fighting John Howard was the reason he didn't nearly fall over at the weigh-ins, looked and fought like he was in phenomenal shape, had bounce in his step at the ramp, etc.

It had nothing to do with him adhering a strict diet and excercise plan laid out by Dolce and working harder to make a more manageable cut.

Nope, when he missed weight against Fitch, it wasn't because he was unmotivated or weight-drained, it was because Fitch is a good fighter, and his existence made Alves not make weight.
:notallthere:

 

I think part of being a good or great fighter is in how you prepare for the fight.. Alves has historically sucked at preparing. So until he has a few fights under his belt where he his 'well-prepared' , I don't think he gets a title shot.

Let's be honest. It was only 4 months ago that Alves didn't make weight and Fitch owned him. So according to TLC, he has basically been on the right track for less than 4 months. I think he needs a little longer history of being ready before he's ready to step up.

 

TLC may be on to something, so let him fight Koschek while GSP fights Shields. Its a great matchup.

 

I always wanted to see Alves-Penn at 170.

 

I would have really liked to see Daley/Alves. Too bad.