First off, if you hate GSP's style that's fine by me. To each his own. This is aimed at people who say he changed his style after the Serra fight. I just rewatched his first UFC fight. Looks pretty much like vintage GSP to me: dominate a guy physically, wear him down, and kick his ass. Don't get me wrong: I love to see him finish. But he's so superior an athlete and fighter that he's simply been able to decimate his opponents, even without finishes, from the very beginning. If you think another current welterweight is better, you are delusional. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNv4HkP47t8
Thinking another WW is better is different than thinking is style changed. He was a killer in his earlier UFC days. He does fight guys who are tough to finish, but he still takes less chances than he used to. Before he passed your guard and looked for subs and finishes on he ground. He now is content with trying to GnP his opponent and not look for the finish.
There is a clear difference in his style now compared to his earlier career. He relies a lot more on his wrestling now, and are playing it "safe" instead of going for the finish. You are a blind nuthugger if you can't see that his style has changed and he isn't as aggressive as he used to be.
If you can't see a difference in GSP's emphasis on finishing a fight now compared to his early years than you are blind. GSP is amazing but he most certainly has a different mentality these days when it comes to actively pursuing a finish.
He got the nickname "rush" because he used to actually rush his opponents and get quick finishes. His style has definitely changed
I always been under the impression that his post-Serra cautiousness plays well into the fact that he is able to outwork his opponent with superior cardio.
Majority of the WW division is under 30 years old, GSP is just over the hill of his prime. He has to play it safe as possible now, plus he just fucked his knee up, I give him less than 5 years and he'll be fighting old school guys or a stepping stone, like Matt Hughes and BJ.
His first pro fight was against a bantamweight. It's much easier to finish a guy with a ~30 pound weight disadvantage than it is to finish an elite welterweight. The only fight GSP has had where he looked *bad* was the Dan Hardy fight - not that GSP was losing at any point, but he should've been able to submit a guy like Hardy on a couple of occasions. GSP is a great athlete, but he doesn't really have the kind of style that allows him to finish guys unless he thoroughly breaks them down like BJ. The other top welterweights are all too tough and only get stopped when they've taken one major punch that puts their lights out. GSP doesn't have that kind of firepower.
The way he fought mayhem was more or less how he fights now. But the way he fought heiron and Hughes seems like a thing of the past
His basic style didn't change, it's his approach that changed. He still uses his karate and boxing style of striking to handle his opponents, combined with his extremely good wrestling. He just isn't willing to risk as much to finish his opponents, which, considering the division he's in, is an understandable risk to not take.
his style changed alot when he fought Sherk. Nobody thought he would be able to take sherk down, control hil, and repeat at will. yet he did. and was able to defend the sherk tds.
He passes everybody's guard when he engages on the ground. I don't think I've ever seen GSP just hang out in somebody's guard.
GSP wasnt a black belt then. plus ive seen many black belts have that same armbar in the same fashion and not be able to finish a guy. Hardy himself said he cant believe he didnt tap. Was probably hardys greatest moment from a jitz point of view. plus GSP is the only person ive seen that has knocked out someone with shoulder shots for a ground and pound. Was awesome to see. Dude he did it too was soooo pissed when he woke up he tried to attack GSP after the fight.
I agree with TS that GSP hasn't really changed, his opponents have gotten better. Same view with Fedor. Both guys are basically the same fighters working n tougher divisions than they were before.
Look at the Hughes fight watch how gsp follows him to the ground and goes for the finish after dropping him with a head kick. Then watch the Shields fight and notice that after dropping Jake with the same kick he does the exact opposite Edit And you can't argue that he was afraid of Shields ground game. Because Hughes had actually finished him by arm bar d
