Is BJ Penn challenging GSP the biggest step up in competition ever?

[DOMMA]

The guy who knocked BJ out in the parking lot was the biggest step up in weight class - guy had 40 lbs on BJ.

 

[Ghostoftheville]

Old Silva going up to fight Cormier deserves some recognition. Admittedly Silva had nothing to lose and everything to gain for that fight, but he was going up against the top dog of a weight class, that should have been a heavyweight.

I'm more impressed with BJ Penn challenging Hughes for the title, for the reasons mentioned already. Hughes was the dominant UFC champ at the time and by many pundits the P4P #1 fighter in the world. Georges was champ by the time the rematch had rolled around, but he was the guy that won a split against Penn 3 years prior and stopped by strikes to a guy not known for KO power.

 

[Bork Neslar]

BJ Penn is a true fighter. A warrior. GSP is a semi fighter. He never challenged himself and only fought smaller or over the hill guys

 

[dudefacemcghee]

Henderson fedora?

 

[ThunderStruck]

BJ Penn is a true fighter. A warrior. GSP is a semi fighter. He never challenged himself and only fought smaller or over the hill guys

You go tell that to GSP's face. Let's see if you're as tough in real life as you are on the internet.

 

[Hardkore]

BJ Penn quit on the stool.

And gsp tapped to strikes. And BJ was way more damaged when his corner called it

 

[Bork Neslar]

You go tell that to GSP's face. Let's see if you're as tough in real life as you are on the internet.

You seem an angry person. Chill out.

 

[Hardkore]

To the death Georges! Or the 4th round at least.

Only a sucker truly believed a fighter was going to fight to the death.

 

[Hardkore]

You seem an angry person. Chill out.

Gsp GSP nuthugger OG

 

[boeing747]

BJ Penn quit on the stool.

Because Grease St-Pierre was cheating, nothing new for him

 

[Intellidamus]

You go tell that to GSP's face. Let's see if you're as tough in real life as you are on the internet.

In all fairness, GSP is such a nice guy he’d probably politely laugh at the wimpy Sherdogger. Then effortlessly choke him out if the goof actually tried to show his sherbro skills.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Penn beating Hughes was much bigger. Penn won the belt against the best 170 lbs ever (at that point). That's pretty badass.

HM to Nunes who actually wanted to fight Cybord and, not only that, but knock her out.

 

[robbie]

Jeremy Horn was a true MW and fought many a LHW and HW in the early days of MMA when the whole weight class thing wasn't a big deal. He also fought dozens of top opponents while amassing a 91 - 22 record taking on all comers even 20 - 70 lbs larger. Check out the link to his record. Submission win over Liddell (LHW) in R1. Decision loss to Big Nog (HW). Decision win over Yvel (HW). KO win over Forrest Griffin (LHW). Decision loss to Couture (LHW / HW). A TKO win and 2 submission wins over Sonnen. Decision loss to Anderson Silva.

https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Jeremy-Horn-202

 

[BForrester]

It's definitely up there. Conor going up a weight class to face Alvarez and then going up even further to face Cowboy is also noteworthy.

Lol, no. Wanderlei Silva fighting Cro-Cop and giving up 70lbs to Mark Hunt was noteworthy. Conor jumping the line to fight for the belt at his natural weight class is not.

Sakuraba vs. everyone he fought is the correct answer.

 

[TheToqueville]

If he bores you so much quit posting in every thread mentioning his name.

Trust me, it's not just me he bores.

 

[Dynamic23]

I'll go with Saku, who walked around 183-187, fighting the number 1 HW in the world (Igor) after a 90 minute fight in the same night. If that's not considered stepping up b/c it was a tourney, then Saku also saying "fuck it" and just staying above his weight to fight Wand x2, Rampage, and Cro Cop in succession, before fighting Wand again along with Randleman and Arona.

 

[Kono dio da!]

Though romero is on a losing streak, Izzy calling him out is huge step up. This is so because it's in the weight class, so there aren't any built three times my size excuses, risky match for obvious reasons and a remarkably difficult opponent too. He could've just waited for Costa to recover. There are concerns about romero's prime and one could even say he's only open to fighting him now, not before, because of this, but romero hasn't visibly slipped enough for me to consider this too much. So Israel vs romero for me is the biggest step up in competition. Far more dangerous, though less skilled than Whittaker and gastelum

 

[COBRA03]

I believe BJ fought Machida at HW before they both went to the UFC. Now THAT is a big jump!

 

[CRuck1980]

Can’t say I’ve seen anyone recently go up and take on the goat of a higher weight class at THEIR weight.

Mira the equivalent of GSP fighting Silva at 185 or Anderson taking on Jones at 205.

just not something that we see people do ever.

And there's a reason for that

 

[Strijfy]

you COULD argue it was when conor fought Floyd

but then youd realise that youd be wrong as that was just a money grab colluded by both of them
not that Im cynical or anything