St. Pierre vs. Condit

This is the official discussion thread for St. Pierre vs. Condit. Let's see what you've got.

The more well-rounded a fighter is, the harder it is to devise a game-plan to exploit their weak areas.  GSP has fewer weak areas than anyone else.  And his weak areas are pretty good and not lethal.  His only weakness, if you can call it that, is he lacks a KO punch.  He would need combinations to get his TKOs.  And his lack of a killer instinct to finish his fights.  Lack of aggression.  

But those are not truly weaknesses, as they are strengths that are not maximized to the nth degree.

The more I think about it, the more I think I might be wrong about GSP's game-plan.  I have always believed he will take Carlos down in seconds.  But the more I think about it, the more I think I may be wrong.

He likes to send you a message that he can beat you at your strength.  Why else would he have taken Kos down in their first fight, when Kos was supposed to be strongest on the ground?  Why else would he have decided to beat Jon Fitch on the ground when he could have easily picked him apart on their feet?  But GSP took Fitch down repeatedly, and humiliated him on the ground.  Why, why, why???

And why would he have kept the fight on their feet last time with Kos when Kos was bragging how much he had improved his striking?  GSP kept it standing, just to prove a point.  Send a message.

So, we have no idea what GSP has in mind.  He will not have Greg Jackson's sage counsel in setting his game-plan.  But GSP is a master game-planner, himself.  We'll see what happens.

* Edited at 11.17.2012, 3:29 PM ET *

I think GSP will be fine if this stays on the feet. He's always been a great striker, and is super athletic. Even when he's fighting guys with good striking skills, the threat of the takedown is always in their minds, which only helps Georges on the feet.

I give GSP quite literally every advantage in this fight.

Condit could win, but he really needs GSP to make a mistake to do it.  

GSP has a much more complete skill set overall.  Really, I'm not sure anyone has a more complete skill set than GSP does.  

If GSP goes out there and fights to his strengths like he usually does, Carlos has very little chance. 

@Mike Except chin.

GSP didn't look very good at the weigh ins...
But I'm sticking with him

how did he not look good, i thought he looked normal lol

Nah I thought he looked really drained, I could see it in his face right when he was entering onto the stage. 

picks or it didnt happen :)

Yea because how a fighter looks at weigh ins matter one bit.. how about you wait to see how he looks at fight time?

But then it will be too late to change picks Mr. Troll, or hadn't you thought of that?

Hours before the fight?

How is "at fight time" hours before the fight?

Predictions are over about an hour before the first prelim starts. They not gonna even show GSP until the event starts, so how could he see what he looks like fight day, and make his prediction when it will be too late?

Well it does matter a lot.  This is a 5 round fight, and if GSP had a rough weight cut then he may weaken if the fight goes into the later rounds and Condit could capitalize on that.

I'd like to see Condit win, but I don't see it happening in Montreal. That leaves the how, GSP by decision due to time away and Condit is game.

They say, and the PPV numbers support it, that GSP is the biggest drawing card in the UFC, and that means MMA.

And by the looks of this thread, 44 pages and growing, it seems like the house loves to discuss him, too.  How may fight threads ever reach 44 pages?  And we're still discussing with passion, ardor, eagerness and zeal.  Most fight threads do not exceed 3 pages.  

This thread is a testimony, all by itself on the popularity, importance and love GSP inspires in UFC fans, and probably even the mainstream, more casual fan.  

And I LOVE THAT!

* Edited at 11.17.2012, 4:12 PM ET *

GSP! GSP! GSP! GSP!

GSP is such a nice guy, such a good man, that for anyone to root against him, and hope he loses, must be tormented, tortured and plagued by internal demons.

I hope they find a certified exorcist and find some relief.  

They're both nice guys, and seemingly good men.  Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose.