WW evolution from late 00s to now

[Blayt7hh]

Not after fighting Georges. They all went on to either mediocrity or losing records. Look it up. The reason being they had to fight really good fighters after fighting for a title.and showed their true abilities by losing a lot.

Yeah unlike those fighters BJ beat when he was champ that went on to dominate

Derp!

 

[bjpenngoat]

You can try to write silly bullshit like this and convince new fans his era was weak, but anyone who followed the sport then knows you’re being a jackass.

man I can’t believe that even after all this time salty GSP fans are still coming around like the TS trying to undermine GSP and his legacy

Man this is so disingenuous. You cannot seriously argue that the ww in gsp's era were better than today. When Vincent luque is the 11th ranked guy today it says something about the level today. Josh koscheck was terrible. Alves was average at best. Dan hardy nice guy, great mma analyst but an average fighter at best, carlos condit had amazing skills and was exciting to watch but he had an underwhelming career in the ufc, matt Serra.....this was an obscure LW who was famous for losing to bj and that was it before Georges Immortalised him by getting sent to the morgue that night.

Its very disingenuous to say these guys were better than the guys today.

 

[Deleted member 504083]

Fair point but look who he was fighting

GSP has beaten better quality fighters than Usman and Khabib, but I'm sure you already know this and enjoy doing what you do.

 

[Fioretti]

It shows that the talent pool was terrible leading to a title fight and that the title holder couldn't get done what guys way down the leader rung were able to do.

This is hard reality. This is also what stemmed the, now decade-long, fascade of how "unfinishable" and great GSP's opposition was. It's an excuse from the fanboys on why GSP couldn't finish these guys. Then they move onto the myth that GSP "took their souls", so they were getting finished easily afterwards.

Kinda like the 6 year old kid who "loosened up" the pickle jar they couldn't open for their 13 year old brother, who opened it immediately. Is normal!

 

[Croton]

Yeah most of the division would destroy the previous top ten. GSP is the only exception.
I feel prime GSP's striking, timing and overall study of the fight game would give him a close dec over usman and a clear dec over colby.
If I had to make a top 10 ranking out of those fighters it would look like this:
1. GSP
2. Usman
3. Colby
4. Edwards
5. Thompson
6. Burns
7. Masvidal
8. Luque
9. Fitch
10. Chiesa

 

[Fioretti]

Yeah most of the division would destroy the previous top ten. GSP is the only exception.
I feel prime GSP's striking, timing and overall study of the fight game would give him a close dec over usman and a clear dec over colby.
If I had to make a top 10 ranking out of those fighters it would look like this:
1. GSP
2. Usman
3. Colby
4. Edwards
5. Thompson
6. Burns
7. Masvidal
8. Luque
9. Fitch
10. Chiesa

2-6 could all give GSP trouble and/or neutralize him. Those fights are more toss-ups imo, with Burns being the most likely to finish GSP on the ground in some way.

GSP, without question, could also UD most of them, but if he fought all of those guys in a row, he'd likely have 1-3 losses.

Just my opinion, but history shows GSP liked being the bigger and stronger guy who attacked weaknesses. He wouldn't be bigger against all of these guys, and their weaknesses aren't as blatant or as weak as GSP's championship competition.

 

[Patman]

Fair point but look who he was fighting and his inability to finish Dan hardy, Carlos condit, thiago alves and josh kos check when everyone else was finishing these guys shortly after. It shows that the talent pool was terrible leading to a title fight and that the title holder couldn't get done what guys way down the leader rung were able to do.

GSP had a string of boring fights but he 50-45’d most of the division. Are we comparing excitement levels or who would win?

 

[bjpenngoat]

This is hard reality. This is also what stemmed the, now decade-long, fascade of how "unfinishable" and great GSP's opposition was. It's an excuse from the fanboys on why GSP couldn't finish these guys. Then they move onto the myth that GSP "took their souls", so they were getting finished easily afterwards.

Kinda like the 6 year old kid who "loosened up" the pickle jar they couldn't open for their 13 year old brother, who opened it immediately. Is normal!

I'd like to add you to my list of "power posters". Great post and very well put.

 

[Fioretti]

GSP has beaten better quality fighters than Usman and Khabib, but I'm sure you already know this and enjoy doing what you do.

His biggest wins are both against Matt Hughes, who not only finished him in their first fight, but had over 50 career fights by the time they fought again 3 years later.

Shields was a great win at the time, but he didn't do so well in the UFC, and was gifted a decision win to earn his shot.

GSP's quality of opposition is drastically overrated. All of the SoS stats you've seen saying how good it was are skewed immensely by him fighting Hughes 3 times.

 

[Croton]

2-6 could all give GSP trouble and/or neutralize him. Those fights are more toss-ups imo, with Burns being the most likely to finish GSP on the ground in some way.

GSP, without question, could also UD most of them, but if he fought all of those guys in a row, he'd likely have 1-3 losses.

Just my opinion, but history shows GSP liked being the bigger and stronger guy who attacked weaknesses. He wouldn't be bigger against all of these guys, and their weaknesses aren't as blatant or as weak as GSP's championship competition.

I'm really not sold on Burns to be honest. He EEKED by Kunchenko and had a close fight with Gunnar.
I guess beating old Maia and Woodley raised his stock.

 

[Blayt7hh]

Man this is so disingenuous. You cannot seriously argue that the ww in gsp's era were better than today. When Vincent luque is the 11th ranked guy today it says something about the level today. Josh koscheck was terrible. Alves was average at best. Dan hardy nice guy, great mma analyst but an average fighter at best, carlos condit had amazing skills and was exciting to watch but he had an underwhelming career in the ufc, matt Serra.....this was an obscure LW who was famous for losing to bj and that was it before Georges Immortalised him by getting sent to the morgue that night.

Its very disingenuous to say these guys were better than the guys today.

So like neither of you noobs actually knows why Serra got a title shot? yeah I am the one being disingenuous here

 

[Fioretti]

I'm really not sold on Burns to be honest. He EEKED by Kunchenko and had a close fight with Gunnar.
I guess beating old Maia and Woodley raised his stock.

Styles make fights. My opinion is that he would pose the same problems to GSP that he did to Woodley, but GSP would likely get him down at some point. That is where he has the best chance at finishing GSP, with a sub.

 

[KeiranMc]

BJPennGoat, Thespider and Themessiah are the three biggest idiots on this forum

@bjpenngoat
@TheSpider
@TheMessiah

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Not after fighting Georges. They all went on to either mediocrity or losing records. Look it up. The reason being they had to fight really good fighters after fighting for a title.and showed their true abilities by losing a lot.

OK, well that wasn't what you said, and in either event, that doesn't relate in any direct way to the point of this thread. "Evolution from late 00s to now."

So , you're basically talking in circles and moving goal posts.

 

[Homervanderjaz]

Look at how the sport has evolved especially this particular division. Not one of these guys would be even top 10 today aside gsp whom I would put 5 or 6 today. The athletes are just bigger Stronger and better.

Honestly twood today is not even top 20 he doesn't belong on the top 10 list after the way he has lost his last 3 fights. Other than him, its a no brained. Vincent luque would run thru that entire 2008 roster maybe even including gsp and he's 11th including the champ.
So if usman runs thru the division he has to be considered ww goat just based on level of comp.

1: Georges St. Pierre
2: Thiago Alves
3: Jon Fitch
4: Matt Hughes
5: Josh Koscheck
6: Diego Sanchez
7: Karo Parisyan
8: Chris Wilson
9: Matt Serra
10: Akihiro Gono

2020 rankings

Champion Kamaru Usman 17-1
1 Colby Covington 16–2
2 Gilbert Burns 19–3
3 Leon Edwards 18–3
4 Jorge Masvidal 35–14
5 Stephen Thompson 15–4–1
6 Tyron Woodley 19–6–1
7 Demian Maia 28–10
8 Michael Chiesa 17–4
9 Neil Magny 24–7
10 Vicente Luque 19-7-1

GSP would beat all the current WWs.. so there’s that..

 

[PAPERCLIP30]

Even Dan Hardy got a title shot in GSPs weak era. Matt Serra got a title shot after a split decision win after two loses

Dan got the title shot because GSP already ran through everyone else. Serra got it from TUF. But hey, you do you.

 

[NFLDer]

Prime GSP is welterweight champ even now.

 

[TheMessiah]

Dan got the title shot because GSP already ran through everyone else. Serra got it from TUF. But hey, you do you.

Hardy wouldn't be ranked in today's division, he's a worse version of Mike Perry. And yes tapping to strikes against the hobbit Serra affected his legacy

 

[TripTictonic]

Lmao at thinking peak GSP would only be top 5 or 6.

 

[gono btw]

Shields was gifted a decision win to earn his shot.

.

hmmm...yeahh, reachin´there... Kamp can only blame himself on this one, he literally gave him the 3rd Rd when he chose to grapple instead of keepin´it on the feet...