St. Pierre vs. Hendricks

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

My heart wants to pick Hendricks, while my head wants to pick GSP. Hendricks has all of the skills to beat GSP is is fairly well rounded and hits hard and he is really good on the ground and has a lot of heart, but GSP despite what most people say he doesn't really win fights with his striking or wrestling he wins fights with his cardio in my opinion. He takes guys that are used to 3 round fights and he takes them to five round fights and tires em out for the win. Hendricks pretty much dominated Condit for the first two round of their last fight but in true Condit late comeback style condit came back in the third and started to dominate Hendricks when he started to gas a little bit. I don't know if Hendricks has the cardio to go five rounds with GSP, but he will be the most entertaining fighter to fight him that we have seen in quite a while.

This is the first time since I can remember that I can honestly see GSP losing I tried to make myself believe that Diaz could do it but we all honestly knew how that would end Hendrix is a beast with awesome counter wrestling and a left hand made of brick GSP will get challenged by him I don't see your normal GSP win safely fight he has to finish Hendrix IMO he doesn't want that dude hanging around for 5 rounds

Nah.. GSP grinds a UD.

GSP is too good and to smart of a fighter to get caught by Hendricks left overhand, GSP studies his opponents  like he has mad OCD, he will have a counter for every move Hendricks does, what I´ve come to notice about GSP is that the more dangerous his opponent the more flawless his technique is during the fight. don´t get me wrong I would love to see GSP KTFO again but is not going to happen, besides Hendricks is too slow for GSP, he will get demolished from the outside just like Koscheck

Hendricks will be very dangerous in the first round or two, which is why I think we'll see GSP initiate a grappling match early, switching to his kickboxing in Rounds 3-5 once the conditioning disparity starts to show itself.

I feel the same way with Hendricks fighting GSP as I do with Weidman fighting Silva next month. I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to see him win, think he definitely has the tools to do so, AND think he's going to come into this fight better and more skilled then he's even been, but at the same time understand that GSP could very well completely dominate him. 

GSP has the more technical, versital, and refined striking, no doubt. He greatly impressed me in that aspect against Diaz. That being said, Hendricks has a stick of dynamite attached to his left hand, and is really good at closing the distance and getting in quick to deliver that one punch KO. He's talked about working his boxing and different ways to set it up, so I look forward to seeing how he fares there. 

As for wrestling, I'm really unsure if he'll be able to outwrestle GSP. I mean, he got mounted by Koscheck at the end of their fight, and we all saw how Koscheck's wrestling matched up with GSP's. I'm especially worried about Hendricks overcommitting with that left hand, which will leave him wide open for GSP to take him down. Maybe Koscheck's takedown over Hendricks was just lucky though, as they showed even wrestling throughout the rest of the fight. So who knows, maybe GSP won't be able to take Hendricks down after all.

Overall, this is a typical heart vs. mind pick for me. I'm picking Hendricks by KO for now, but I might later change it to GSP by decision.

@StarsStavros I feel exactly the same way.I like Hendricks a lot he's a very humble dude and i think he earned his shot like 2-3 times already. 

And after posting all that, I literally just had a brain fart. GSP vs. Hendricks, and even Silva vs. Weidman, could both be Matt Hughes/GSP all over again. The champion dominates easily the first time, then the challenger comes back much more skilled the second time and wins the rematch. I also say that because I feel like both Hendricks and Weidman are the future of their respective divisions. Only person I see coming close is Rory MacDonald.

I like GSP in this fight. Hendricks obviously has the KO power, but I think that's the only plausible way for him to win. 

If it's a standup battle that goes to a decision, GSP wins.
If it's a wrestling battle, it could go either way. Perhaps an edge towards GSP because it's MMA wrestling and not folkstyle.
A key difference is grappling. I don't see Hendricks passing GSP's guard if he takes him down and finding the leverage for significant strikes. I see GSP having a good chance to escape or have the fight stand up by the ref. If GSP gets in Hendricks' guard, Hendricks is staying down and GSP gets the round.

IMO, it's a bet whether GSP gets caught or not and I can see it happen, but I'm not betting on it.

Personally, I don't see Hendricks as the future of the division. He's good at wrestling and has the power to put anyone out ... pretty much par for the course regarding top welterweights over the last few years. He doesn't mix things up all that well and tends to gas after the second round. He's also got at least two recent decision wins I disagree with (Scored both the Mike Pierce and Josh Koscheck fights against him) and Condit would have taken a five-rounder without much doubt. 

I 100% agree with skelliher, he got too comfortable with his power and forgot to develop other skills, he is a good fighter but he hasn't evolved in the last couple of years, he either grinds or throw his left hand and that's cool while it works for you, but if a fighter doesn't evolve sooner or later someone will break his style and stop him, he needs to work on his BJJ and improve his striking against Condit he barely throw any combos he just locked his left hand aside his cheek and kept throwing it again and again, and that won't work forever it barely did against Condit 

Hendricks nor Ellenberger are the future of the division. If they don't achieve the KO in the first or early 2nd they become very average. 

GSP is going to give Hendricks a first hand lesson on why he's one of the best ever. Georges is far more intelligent, technical and refined with everything he does. I will most likely pick GSP via decision but I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he tapped Johny in the championship rounds.

I haven't picked against GSP since he fought Matt Serra (I picked Serra to beat GSP both times)... but I'm picking Hendricks for the upset over GSP in this one.

Is it me or the betting odds are insanely good for betting in St. Pierre? Unless Johny knocks him out he is taking a serious beating in the championship rounds, and considering that St. Pierre has godlike jabs and superman punches to keep Hendricks away, I don't see the KO happening.

GSP both on the feet and on the ground.  Sure, Johny has a good punch and good wrestling.  But GSP is the better striker, overall, simply because he incorporates leg kicks seamlessly into his combinations.

And he goes up and down better, changing levels, and has more versatility in his offensive attack.  GSP has the most varied attack on record.  Johny has award-winning wrestling but here, too, GSP is his superior.

Fitch was probably a better wrestler than Hendricks and GSP had no problems taking him down at will and dominating him on the ground.

I predict GSP takes him down after a minute or so, and dominates him on the ground.  UD for GSP.  No undue, untoward problems here.

Hendricks only chance is a lucky punch gets through.  Everyone has a puncher's chance.  But that's not the way to bet.

Looks like we have a lot of anti-GSP dreamers on board.  As usual.  Get ready for your usual disappointment, fellas.

Johny could barely get past Koscheck or Condit, and GSP went through both like an electric knife through butter.

* Edited at 06.20.2013, 1:09 AM ET *

Leg kicks. And Superman Punches. And Jabs. Johny's hand isn't getting anywhere near GSP's face.

GSP vs a power puncher... Awesome. I will always remember the way JAKE ******* SHIELDS made GSPs face look.. If Shields can do that, 1 shot from Hendricks and he explodes. 

i remember that fight and gsp was blind even the doctor said he nearly lost a eye from staph, shields was on point with his eye pokes that fateful winters eve.. GSP will NEVER lose at 170 pounds!!

Uhhh he has already lost at 170 pounds

* Edited at 06.20.2013, 2:24 AM ET *

The Shields fight was a one-sided kickboxing beatdown until the 2-3 severe illegal eye gouges, none of which even earned a warning because GSP just fought through them.