Quote:
Originally Posted by YukonJordan  I doubt Nick can match GSP's jab. Diaz throws his very traditionally whereas GSP throws his by elongating his body making it faster and himself a more elusive target. Secondly trying to pry any knowlegde from a Sanchez-Diaz fight that happened 8 years ago isn't very relevant.
GSP doesn't "gotta turn to the judges" either. That guy fights full speed the whole fight and consistently faces guys who almost never get finished by anybody. Look at the faces of his opponents after the fights, he isn't coasting or going for decisions by any means.
GSP has faced all kinds of fighters and has beat them all.
Wrestler with a strong double, GNP and throws bombs - Koschek
Wrestler who grinds and has a great submission game - Shields
BJJ ace with good boxing - Penn
Overall good fighter who grinds - Fitch
Striker (punching base) - Hardy
Striker (muay thai) - Alves
Dangerous from everywhere, great muay thai - Condit
One thing those guys all did wrong was rest on their laurels. They developed a game plan with few surprises and GSP ate them up because he knew exactly what to do. Diaz needs to be like Penn-Fitch and surprise the fuck out of GSP to have a chance. Otherwise he's just another victim. |
Looking at a fight from 8 years ago is relevant, because Nick's ground game is very similar to what is was in that fight, only it has improved...but he still uses alot of the same techniques...just like GSP is very similar to what he was back then, only better. It's common knowledge that Diego has and has always had some of the most ferocious GNP in MMA.
Also, GSP has definitely coasted in some fights. Just because there is damage on his opponents faces doesn't mean he didn't coast for a good majority of the fight. 1 or 2 good strikes can have somebody's face busted up pretty good, and he is usually in 25 minute fights. The fight versus Alves GSP most definitely was coasting for alot of that fight, but he landed a very hard straight right that dropped Thiago and
some good ground and pound shots that were damaging...but other than that, he just took him down and didn't do much on
several occasions. Against Hardy he barely did any damage at all, and the same goes for his fight with Shields. He did almost finish Hardy but lets be honest, anybody with a great submission ability would have been able to finish Hardy with both the armbar and the kimura.
Also I do not think Fitch is a well rounded fighter. He has great grappling, but his stand up is below average. I also do not take much from him being able to outjab and outstrike Koscheck, who has very little other than an OH right and right hook. GSP enjoys a convenient reach advantage over him...and Kos just isn't a good striker (though he is powerful). I thought GSP looked great against Condit, though, other than the headkick knockdown...but at least he showed he could survive something like that.
I definitely agree that Diaz needs to mix his gameplan up and not just show up to fight, AKA exactly what he didn't do against Condit. He can be pretty slick at times, though...and we've seen GSP get submitted pretty quick in BJJ. Of coarse MMA is alot different with strikes, but Diaz is pretty gritty.