The Myth of the "change" in GSP's style

[Lito Lapida]

GSP admits he is playing it safe after the Serra fight. He doesn't show his Karate skills anymore.

 

[SPL1FF]

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

shields is above and beyond hughes off his back.

im not disagreeing with the TS but your statement holds no weight.

 

[youngsteinel]

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.

He does pass guard, but he doesn't really look for the finish anymore, or as much.

 

[Chramelated]

If you think Pre-Serra GSP doesn't exist, I suppose you think you no one else in my sig exists either. Quit trollin' TS.

 

[SideKickPro24]

shields is above and beyond hughes off his back.

im not disagreeing with the TS but your statement holds no weight.

Hughes had finished him by armbar before and he still jumped on him for the finish. He just use to not be so scared.

 

[SPL1FF]

Hughes had finished him by armbar before and he still jumped on him for the finish. He just use to not be so scared.

The whole training before the shields fight GSP said he HAS to be careful when Shields is on his back because he is the most dangerous person he had ever fought from his back.

your statement is still a negatory

 

[Saskatoonmike**]

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.

this is factually wrong. He passes guard more and goes for more subs and dominant positions then he ever did. Another poster broke down those stats and GSP has been setting records going for passes, dominant positions and subs. Pretty much every time guys like Alves or Hardy escaped and got back up was when GSP was advancing.

 

[Brock2026]

Well he has beaten every man he has ever fought. That's impressive enough regardless of style.

 

[Dookieshoes**]

He does pass guard, but he doesn't really look for the finish anymore, or as much.

How do you know what he's looking for when he fights? I couldn't imagine that you could even begin to think or relate how Georges thinks while in the midst of a championship fight. You're speculating, I can do it too, I speculate that once the guy in your avatar looses he won't be your avatar anymore.

 

[MrWhiteBelt]

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.

Are you saying GSP is past his prime or he's reaching the twilight of his prime?

I agree with everything else but he is definitely not out of his prime yet

 

[ACT]

The difference is apparent from the shields and kos fights to his return. He throws more power strikes, he actually throws his right. He throws head kicks, he even threw an axe kick!

 

[phatron]

before the serra fight he had 3 decisions and 10 finishes 77% finishing rate

post serra he has 7 decisions and 3 finishes. 30% finishing rate.

pretty much sums it up.

You could make the arguement that the level of competition between those first 10 fights and his last 13 fights is greatly elevated in the latter 13.

But if you look at anderson, aldo, and jones finshing rate in title fights they blow GSP away. So either GSP isnt as talented compared to the rest of his division as the others, or his competition is that much better than the others (hard to say with jones finishing rampage, machida, shogun, belfort...all former champs), or the last alternative is that GSP plays it safe.

So pick one....less talented than the others....or playing it safe.

 

[Maripucci]

i believe he got the nickname from the pace he set.

 

[PAPERCLIP30]

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.

Lol GSP has ALWAYS been a wrestler.

 

[buda2]

LOL!!!!! Style, approach? TS is splitting hairs, grasping straws.

 

[Goatjc160]

His first fight was against Karo Paryisan, right? Not a guy who is easy to finish by any means. Then he knocked Hieron's head off. Next was one of my favorite GSP fights, him v. Mayhem Miller. Throwing axe kicks when miller was down on his back.

He was just more aggressive back then. And he threw more variety in everything he did. I do NOT feel that Serra one was the turning point though. He was agressive against Kos 1, crushed and finished Hughes and Serra. Once he had the title back he kind of backed off only finishing an undersized and pushing his limit BJ.

-Goat

 

[Bolan]

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.

Yes and no. He admits that he tries to fight smarter so he doesn't get injured or take damage, which is generally a good idea. But when he was fighting Shields (may have been Kos) he kept headhunting with an overhand right throughout the fight. He was legitimately trying to end the fight. He tries to use whatever weakness his opponent has against him while not risking himself in the process. Being as good as he is with his ground work, it's no surprise he takes people down more often than not. He also stays active with trying to sub them, or GnP. If he was a LnP fighter it would be one thing, but he stays active and typically does damage.

 

[Get it on]

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.

He'll never be a steeping stone or a gate keeper, he'll retire long before that.

 

[Tamburlaine]

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.

I'm not saying he hasn't seemed to work harder to finish some fights than others. That's not my point.

My point is simply this: The guy you all hate for *changing* his style was fighting that way in his very first UFC fight.

Oy vey...

 

[Tamburlaine]

He got the nickname "rush" because he used to actually rush his opponents and get quick finishes. His style has definitely changed

Watch the fight. Show me the rush, please.

Let's face it: You can hate him for it, but GSP is probably the *smartest* fighter we've even seen in the octagon. Why can't more of us appreciate that?

Oh, wait. I know: because Sherdog is populated by mouth-breathing Shertards...