GSP was constantly transitioning on top to avoid knee bars and kimuras. Nick even stood up and broke loose a few times. Add to that he stuffed some of GSP's takedowns.
Don't forget when GSP said he couldn't really control Nick on the mat, either. He said Nick's BJJ is weird and couldn't control him that well. Nick did better off of his back against GSP than pretty much everybody in MMA ever has. He stopped GSP from passing more times than any of his other opponents, did better at defending his GnP, got back to his feet more times than pretty much everybody and stuffed a higher percentage of TD's than pretty much everybody GSP faced, too.
Idiot fans can talk about GSP controlling Nick with ease on the mat, but I'll take the words from GSP where he said he couldn't really control him over any couch potato champion any day.
GSP clearly won the fight, but Nick did very well defensively off of his back and gave GSP all he could handle. It wasn't an easy fight for GSP at all and GSP said so himself. That was one of his toughest fights in his career even though GSP looked to do what he always did. GSP gave Nick more credit than he gave anybody with their ability off of their back. GSP saying he couldn't really control him and defending as many guard passes as he did is impressive.
GSP usually has his way with ease against everybody on the mat EASILY but he didn't against Nick, Nick gave him a very tough time there and the only people who really know what was going on was GSP, Nick, and people who actually know what the fuck they're watching. Just because GSP was on top doesn't mean he's dominating with ease. Nick gave him a hard time. A harder time than anybody else in MMA ever has.
If any of these wack fans realize how good GSP's guard pass is and to see how Nick shut that down as well as he did, that's fucking impressive and GSP recognized how damn good Nick was off of his back.
These fans need to go learn something about the ground game or just shut up.
Anyway, people talking about how GSP did what he did and talking about Khabib doing the same thing - Khabib is not GSP. He is not even close to the same fighter GSP is. GSP is better everywhere than that clown they call Khabib. 5 rounds would be hell for Khabib. I don't see Khabib being able to keep the pace. Nick will start stuffing his TD's the longer the fight goes and start battering him and if Khabib gets sloppy with the TD, he will get submitted.
People need to stop acting like Khabib is godlike on the mat. He's a very skilled grappler, but he has never faced anybody like Nick Diaz off their back. If you get tired and get sloppy against him, it will cost you. You have to be on your A-game to truly grapplefuck him. People talk about Nick always getting wrestlefucked when in reality it hasn't happened that many times at all. Only Diego and GSP really were able to stay on top for long periods of time. Nick wasn't even half the fight vs. Diego that he is today and GSP is GSP, and the guy said he couldn't really even control him.
Khabib is no GSP. Not even close. He doesn't have the striking that GSP does, the cardio, the fight IQ, he has none of it. He's gotten by due to stalling most of the time in his fights throughout 3 rounders. He will not be able to go 5 rounds with Nick. He'll get tired and get destroyed. I guarantee it. Khabib has never fought anybody like Nick. His best win is RDA and the RDA of today would smash that guy, BAD.