Five Reasons GSP is the Greatest of All Time
Posted By Daniel Cassidy UFC News
In ten days time, Georges St. Pierre steps into the cage against opposing Ultimate Fighter coach Josh Koscheck, with his Welterweight strap the prize. The man LowKick users currently have ranked as the Number 1 Pound for Pound fighter in the world will look to extend his current win streak to 8 straight wins, a career record for "Rush". Despite only being ages just 29. While already people mention GSP's name among legends such as Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture or Royce Gracie, I'd like to go one step further and declare St. Pierre the Greatest Mixed Martial Artist of all time, and present 5 reasons just why he is the best fighter to ever step into a fight.
1. Skills
As far as skill sets go, there are few as well rounded or as technically skilled as GSP. Despite many misconceptions due to the quality of his wrestling game, GSP only started wrestling AFTER he left college, something that surely makes one of the most feared double leg takedowns in the business even more impressive. His wrestling is so good, he has his sights set on a future spot on the Canadian Olympic Wrestling team. As well as this, he received his black belt in Jui Jitsu in 2008, under Bruno Fernandes. Despite already proving himself to be a feared opponent, he also trains with Muay Thai legend Phil Nurse and Boxing phenom Freddie Roach, all the while basing himself under Greg Jackson's expert tutelage in New Mexico, surrounded by exceptional training partners, as his skills look set to evolve even further.
2. The level of opponents he has defeated
To really bring this point home, it's worth looking through the list of opponents GSP has gotten the better of inside the cage. Karo Parysian, Jay Heiron, Jason Miller, Sean Sherk, BJ Penn (x2), Matt Hughes, Matt Hughes (x2), Matt Serra, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy and already Josh Koscheck. It reads like a who's who's list of the top Welterweights. Perhaps however the most impressive thing about each win is how totally ordinary he made each fighter look during their fight. Whether it was taking wrestling standouts Matt Hughes or Jon Fitch at will, or totally outstriking feared Knockout artist Thiago Alves, quite simply GSP dominates anyone he gets put in the cage against.
3. Return from defeat against Matt Serra
Currently holding a seriously impressive record of 20-2, GSP has tasted defeat just twice in his career, once early in his career to Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, and again in the complete shock upset against Matt Serra. The first fight against Hughes marked only GSP's 8th pro fight. The future champ was just 23 years old when he gave Hughes a serious run for his money, before succumbing to an arm bar with just a second left in the round. After his first career loss, he came back to win his next 6 fights before getting his rematch against Hughes, this time taking the belt from him. After he won the title, his bout against Serra followed. GSP admits he underestimated the New Yorker, who caught him with a fluke right hand felt the world over. As well as this, GSP later cited the death of a close cousin, as well as the serious illness of his father as a major distraction ahead of the fight. Immediately after the fight, he changed his training team, joining Greg Jackson. He would go on to win his next 7, with an eye on making it 8 in his next fight.
4. Personallity
It's much easier to start this off with a quote from the man himself:
"I am not a fighter, I am a Mixed Martial Artist"
Perhaps his best know quote, GSP is always known for his attitude and the respect he shows to all opponents. While some fighters may be known for getting into trouble outside of the cage, never once has any negative story about Rush broken to the press. The man exemplifies cool, seeming to only alternate between his training gear and his Armani suits. Not only this, but given how ell he carries himself in public, the guy is a role model for anyone. He is the perfect "poster boy" for the UFC, compared to guys like Brock Lesnar or Anderson Silva.
5. Dedication to the Sport
GSP is the very image of what a Mixed Martial Artist should be, and is a clear ambassador for the sport. Currently, GSP is the face of such huge brands like Gatorade, Under Armour and SportsCenter, taking MMA places it was previously unable to go. As a true ambassador to the sport, he represents MMA where ever he goes, showing his passion and dedication for the sport, as he helps it grow. Even most recently, GSP visited the Phillipines as a spokesman for the UFC, gving the company publicity they could only have previously dreamed of.
So when GSP and Koscheck finally do meet on December 11th, rest assured, this wont be a repeat of the Matt Hughes or Matt Serra fight, this will be a repeat of every other Georges St. Pierre fight, where he outclasses his opponent in every aspect of the game, proving once again that he is the #1 Pound for Pound fighter in the world.
__________________ " I don't want to die for you, but if dying is asked of me, I'll bear that cross with honour, 'cause freedom don't come free."
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The one reason GSP is not the greatest of all time: his highlight reel is mediocre compared to Anderson Silva, Fedor, Wanderlei, Liddell, or just about any guy who has made his way to the sports pinnacle.
The one reason GSP is not the greatest of all time: his highlight reel is mediocre compared to Anderson Silva, Fedor, Wanderlei, Liddell, or just about any guy who has made his way to the sports pinnacle.
What does a highlight reel have to do with anything? I don't think PfP rankings take "sportscenter" appearances in consideration at all, nor should they.
I am pretty sure Chris Lytle's highlight reel would be up there with any of the greats and I would never once consider him one of the sports best.
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They just want to stand on my shoulders and call themselves tall...
While I'm a seriously huge GSP fan I'm going to put some water on this flame and critique this article.
1. GSP's skills and his very evident desire to get better in all areas is phenomenal but realistically it's really only about how he employs or shows off those skills.
Also many people overstate his potential for wrestling in the Olympics. His wrestling is so good in MMA because his opponents have to respect his entire skillset not just his wrestling. In the Olympics he doesn't have that unpredictability. Plus qualifying for the Canadian Olympic team would be a very difficult for GSP based on a few factors. The system the Canadian Olympic wrestling team is decided by strongly favors the current Canadian #1. The weight he would have to wrestle in is not idealized the way 170 is for him in MMA. The guy he would probably have to beat in the trials is very very very good, out of GSP's league wrestling wise.
2. Cannot argue his vanquished opponents, very few people if any have that kind of a resume.
3. I don't see how either defeating Matt Serra or the potential reasons behind his loss to Matt Serra can be argued as defence for GSP being the greatest of all time.
4. That's not his most famous quote. This is:
5. Much like skills, dedication is all nice and good but in the end the only thing we can use to determine who the GOAT is are their results and the opponents they have beat along the way.
GSP is on his way to being in the GOAT discussion but it's still a ways off. Right there's a guy in Russia who shout be talked about being the GOAT. Actually scratch that, Fedor won't care. Go talk to his legion of loyal followers, or just Pashak.
What does a highlight reel have to do with anything? I don't think PfP rankings take "sportscenter" appearances in consideration at all, nor should they.
I am pretty sure Chris Lytle's highlight reel would be up there with any of the greats and I would never once consider him one of the sports best.
thats a great point. being the best is not about highlight reels, its about consistently beating the best fighters. Not only that, when was the last time gsp actually lost a round?
YukonJordan is absolutely right. I'm a HUGE GSP fan, but articles like this make me ashamed to be.
How do we go from GSP stating he MIGHT someday want to try out for the Olympic team to treating it like a fact that he's good enough to be on the team? It's nuthuggery like this that create haters.
Yukon already went through each point, but might I also add that the already LAME and OVERUSED expression is ''a who's who'', and not ''a who's who's''. Such a bush-league article.
3. I don't see how either defeating Matt Serra or the potential reasons behind his loss to Matt Serra can be argued as defence for GSP being the greatest of all time.
It only matters in this regard: He got knocked for a loop in that fight and subsequently lost. It was a fight that he should have never lost and he lost in spectacular fashion.
There are those fighters out there who come back from a loss like that and are gun shy and timid in their fighting style to protect against that embarrasment, and then there are fighters who come back from something like that and are more focused and determined than before. (the old 'separating the men from the boys' type of deal)
GSP fell in to the later category. So no, you are right, having Matt Sera on your resume isn't impressive in and of itself.. it's the surrounding factors.
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They just want to stand on my shoulders and call themselves tall...
Oh AND it's bullshit to disregard his loss to Serra as a fluke. Sure, GSP is the more talented fighter, and would probably win most of the time. Sure, he avenged his loss, and should get credit for that. That doesn't just ERASE history though.
Him losing that night was probably my worst experience as an MMA fan, I was in shock for almost a week. I actually almost failed a bunch of exams because of it.
However, Matt Serra won fair and square. No controversy, no cheating, no excuses. GSP decided to stand up with him, and Serra controlled the octogon and then landed a bomb and followed up relentlessly. If it went to other way no one would call it a fluke win for GSP. It's disrespectful to both fighters to pretend it happened any other way.
Oh AND it's bullshit to disregard his loss to Serra as a fluke. Sure, GSP is the more talented fighter, and would probably win most of the time. Sure, he avenged his loss, and should get credit for that. That doesn't just ERASE history though.
I can't give you any rep right now, so I'll post here.
100% correct. It wasn't a "flash knockout" or anything of that sort. Serra came in with a gameplan, GSP didn't adjust properly (kept it standing) and got his lunch handed to him.
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They just want to stand on my shoulders and call themselves tall...
I personally don't see how 4&5 i.e. personality and dedication contribute to the argument for him being GOAT. I also think who he trains with (in point 1) is pretty irrelevant.
The only things that are relevant really is how good he is and who he's beat - which don't make him #1 in my eyes... yet.
Five Reasons GSP is the Greatest of All Time 
" I don't want to die for you, but if dying is asked of me, I'll bear that cross with honour, 'cause freedom don't come free."
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