GSP vs Johnny Hendricks

N

nikwilliams

Yellow Belt
@Yellow
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
189
Reaction score
0
I am super stoked for this fight big fan of both fighters think this fight is a total 50/50where I have no idea who will win. That said what do you think each fighters game plan is going to be?
For Hendricks I personally think he is going to try and wrestle GSP and go for heavy ground n pound. I mean I think he is going to try and take GSP's head off but I got this feeling his strat is mainly going to be going into the first few rounds with wrestling then trying to take his head off in scrambles when Georges defends. Think Hendricks has the wrestling to do it I am just worried about his cardio.
For GSP well its GSP he always fights to his opponents weakness so he is probably really game planning the jab and trying to take Hendricks down. Think GSP will really try and put John against the cage and grind on him to slow Hendricks down as much as possible.
I don't believe John is going to go for the sprawl and brawl tactic and is really going to try those power takedowns that he has. With all that being said this fight is a true pick em and I could see the welterweight torch being passed. I 100% believe that if these 2 guys were to fight 10 times John would definitely win a few of them he has every tool needed to beat GSP. Of course GSP has the tools to beat him aswell though. I have read some comparisons to Kos but you better believe Hendricks is an entire different animal. Of course these are my opinions and could be completely wrong.
 
nikwilliams said:
I am super stoked for this fight big fan of both fighters think this fight is a total 50/50where I have no idea who will win. That said what do you think each fighters game plan is going to be?
For Hendricks I personally think he is going to try and wrestle GSP and go for heavy ground n pound. I mean I think he is going to try and take GSP's head off but I got this feeling his strat is mainly going to be going into the first few rounds with wrestling then trying to take his head off in scrambles when Georges defends. Think Hendricks has the wrestling to do it I am just worried about his cardio.
For GSP well its GSP he always fights to his opponents weakness so he is probably really game planning the jab and trying to take Hendricks down. Think GSP will really try and put John against the cage and grind on him to slow Hendricks down as much as possible.
I don't believe John is going to go for the sprawl and brawl tactic and is really going to try those power takedowns that he has. With all that being said this fight is a true pick em and I could see the welterweight torch being passed. I 100% believe that if these 2 guys were to fight 10 times John would definitely win a few of them he has every tool needed to beat GSP. Of course GSP has the tools to beat him aswell though. I have read some comparisons to Kos but you better believe Hendricks is an entire different animal. Of course these are my opinions and could be completely wrong.
Click to expand...

I'm a Hendricks fan, but I don't think he can do this.

He had a hell of a time trying to GNP Condit, and Condit isn't a wrestler or a superior athlete like GSP is. Condit also had trouble getting anything going against GSP on the ground after he dropped him with the head kick.

Johny's best assets in this fight are his speed, explosiveness, ability to cover distance quickly, and, of course, his punching power. He's also bigger and likely physically stronger than GSP. I also think shooting over and over is a recipe to tire out more quickly. It's in Johny's interest to keep this one standing.

We also know that GSP is going to do everything he can to either jab Hendricks repeatedly, or try and double leg him down, all while circling away from Johny's left.

For Hendricks, he needs to train two things: his boxing, especially switching stances, and the clinch game.

For the former, Hendricks has to be ready to use his right hand to parry GSP's jab and protect his face, or use it to counter over the jab with a right hook. He should NOT come out winging his left hand. He has to make GSP guess a little. To further help with that, he should also be prepared to switch to orthodox. Not only would this get his powerful left hand closer to GSP, ready to throw jabs or lead hooks, but it also leaves his more stronger, more coordinated side forward, a common tactic of both wrestlers and standup fighters to help fight the TD (Machida, Silva, and Chael all do this.) It would also give GSP some more pause about circling away from the left, as Johny's right would be more powerful from the orthodox stance. The key he has to focus on with his boxing is to switch things up to defend against the likely jab assault, and also to make GSP guess and circle into something he's not going to see coming or expect.

Johny should be ready to come forward while doing this, but he should only do one of his Vitor-esque rushes throwing punches after he's already connected and has him hurt, or else he'll run in to get dropped by a counter double leg. The key for him is to press forward methodically, and look for a counter chance to then capitalize on.

If GSP is proving too tough to close the distance on early in each of the first three rounds, Johny's Plan B should be the clinch game; he should try to bull GSP into the fence, where his size, strength, and wrestling would be able to keep him held there, allow him a chance to conserve energy, and also go to work with short punches, knees, and elbows, much as he has in other fights in the past. Once Johny he has a guy in the clinch against the fence, he usually doesn't have much trouble either getting them down or keeping them there while racking up the strike count.

Moreover, the clinch also presents a chance for Johny to take advantage of his power, and GSP won't be able to use his length to stop him on the fence; much like Hendo very nearly did against Fedor, late in a clinch if it looks like they'll be split soon, Johny can and should suddenly break the clinch only to then lunge forward with one of his patented lefts. Hendo very nearly leveled Fedor with a left hook on the break from a clinch, missing by just a few inches. Johny has a good chance to score a KO this way, and could do so without fear of a TD in close quarters because GSP wouldn't have the space to set up his deep shot or build momentum with it, and Johny could fall back into the clinch anyway if he whiffs.

If Johny can keep up a plan of forward pressure movement with unpredictable setups/counter-striking boxing with a plan B of clinch work, he could either score a KO or win the first three rounds to get a decision later. He might gas late, but GSP has faded late in fights recently and hasn't finished anyone in years. Even if Hendricks does gas it's unlikely GSP will have the juice left to finish him, nor will GSP have the mindset or the willingness to try and go for a finish anyway.

Hendricks can win; he just has to be smart and pick his spots against GSP, not rush him and give him an easy double leg opportunity.
 
Torrincian said:
I'm a Hendricks fan, but I don't think he can do this.

He had a hell of a time trying to GNP Condit, and Condit isn't a wrestler or a superior athlete like GSP is. Condit also had trouble getting anything going against GSP on the ground after he dropped him with the head kick.

Johny's best assets in this fight are his speed, explosiveness, ability to cover distance quickly, and, of course, his punching power. He's also bigger and likely physically stronger than GSP. I also think shooting over and over is a recipe to tire out more quickly. It's in Johny's interest to keep this one standing.

We also know that GSP is going to do everything he can to either jab Hendricks repeatedly, or try and double leg him down, all while circling away from Johny's left.

For Hendricks, he needs to train two things: his boxing, especially switching stances, and the clinch game.

For the former, Hendricks has to be ready to use his right hand to parry GSP's jab and protect his face, or use it to counter over the jab with a right hook. He should NOT come out winging his left hand. He has to make GSP guess a little. To further help with that, he should also be prepared to switch to orthodox. Not only would this get his powerful left hand closer to GSP, ready to throw jabs or lead hooks, but it also leaves his more stronger, more coordinated side forward, a common tactic of both wrestlers and standup fighters to help fight the TD (Machida, Silva, and Chael all do this.) It would also give GSP some more pause about circling away from the left, as Johny's right would be more powerful from the orthodox stance. The key he has to focus on with his boxing is to switch things up to defend against the likely jab assault, and also to make GSP guess and circle into something he's not going to see coming or expect.

Johny should be ready to come forward while doing this, but he should only do one of his Vitor-esque rushes throwing punches after he's already connected and has him hurt, or else he'll run in to get dropped by a counter double leg. The key for him is to press forward methodically, and look for a counter chance to then capitalize on.

If GSP is proving too tough to close the distance on early in each of the first three rounds, Johny's Plan B should be the clinch game; he should try to bull GSP into the fence, where his size, strength, and wrestling would be able to keep him held there, allow him a chance to conserve energy, and also go to work with short punches, knees, and elbows, much as he has in other fights in the past. Once Johny he has a guy in the clinch against the fence, he usually doesn't have much trouble either getting them down or keeping them there while racking up the strike count.

Moreover, the clinch also presents a chance for Johny to take advantage of his power, and GSP won't be able to use his length to stop him on the fence; much like Hendo very nearly did against Fedor, late in a clinch if it looks like they'll be split soon, Johny can and should suddenly break the clinch only to then lunge forward with one of his patented lefts. Hendo very nearly leveled Fedor with a left hook on the break from a clinch, missing by just a few inches. Johny has a good chance to score a KO this way, and could do so without fear of a TD in close quarters because GSP wouldn't have the space to set up his deep shot or build momentum with it, and Johny could fall back into the clinch anyway if he whiffs.

If Johny can keep up a plan of forward pressure movement with unpredictable setups/counter-striking boxing with a plan B of clinch work, he could either score a KO or win the first three rounds to get a decision later. He might gas late, but GSP has faded late in fights recently and hasn't finished anyone in years. Even if Hendricks does gas it's unlikely GSP will have the juice left to finish him, nor will GSP have the mindset or the willingness to try and go for a finish anyway.

Hendricks can win; he just has to be smart and pick his spots against GSP, not rush him and give him an easy double leg opportunity.
Click to expand...



I think you're thinking about this more than Johny is.



In MMA he's always gotten away with doing things the wrong way because he's just a better athlete than all of his opponents which has more than made up for his technical and strategic deficiencies. He can still beat GSP, but he'll probably have to get it done within the first 2 rounds either by KO or TKO.
 
Big Rig by KO in the first 6 seconds.

Maybe.
 
has hendricks evolved into a well rounded mma pro since his last fight or still a head hunting wrestler winging bombs? .....if not then gsp by dec
 
If it goes past the second round..

GSP by Dec or perhaps a late finish depending on how tired Hendricks gets
 
I think Hendrick will try to KO Georges. He will have to start strong because GSP is unlikely to slow down

I'm not sure about what will be the GSP gameplan... striking and aiming for a headkick KO? maybe. But I would not be surprised that GSP wants to bring it on the ground and avoiging the risk of the big bomb from Hendricks... Hendrick is a good wrestler but how is his BJJ? Maybe GSP wants to try to submit him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,237,083
Messages
55,466,561
Members
174,786
Latest member
plasterby

Share this page

Back
Top