Time Warp Battle: GSP's Olympic Dream Crushed by 1972 Dan Gable

There is currently a lot of buzz in the MMA community regarding Georges St. Pierre and his Olympic aspirations.

Apparently it has long been a dream of St. Pierre's to represent his native Canada in Olympic freestyle wrestling, and in recent interviews GSP has expressed that he is seriously considering taking a leave of absence from MMA to pursue this dream.

It is admirable that GSP is willing to challenge himself in such a way, but let’s be honest here: Qualifying for the Olympics is no small task, and should GSP choose to pursue such an endeavor, he will have his work cut out for him.

In light of this recent revelation, Mr. James Ryan and I once again present to you the always entertaining “Time Warp Battle.”

For those who are new, let me explain the idea: We take two combatants from different eras and have them fight it out in the ultimate proving ground of MMA.

So, without further ado...

In the red corner, we have Olympic hopeful and reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre.

In the blue corner, we have the 1972 Olympic freestyle champion Dan “The Canadian Dream Wrecker” Gable.

Sure, GSP is the best functional wrestler in all of MMA and has proven so on numerous occasions by outwrestling former collegiate champions, but Dan Gable is much more than just a former collegiate champion. Dan Gable is an Olympic champion.

Not only did Gable win Olympic gold in 1972, he did so by not surrendering a single point to his opposition.

Everyone likes to talk about how dominant GSP is. Well, that, my friends, is the definition of dominance.

Now, I know you are all saying to yourselves, “That’s all well and good, but this isn’t wrestling. This is MMA, and GSP is perhaps the most well-rounded fighter in the sport today.”

I get where you are coming from, I really do. But don’t disregard Dan Gable as nothing more than a mere wrestler.

While he may not come from a traditional martial arts background, Gable was one of the toughest, hardest-working men walking the planet.

What set Gable apart from his competition wasn’t simply his technique or natural ability; it was the blood, sweat, and tears he put into training.

No one outworked or outwilled Gable, and that is why he was the best.

That drive, that tenacity is why Dan Gable would beat GSP. Gable would be able to do something that no other fighter has been able to do with GSP: Gable would dictate the action and pace to GSP.

With supreme technique and body control, Gable would smother and grind his way to a Unanimous Decision victory and in the process dash any and all of GSP’s Olympic aspirations.

GSP is a great wrestler and a great fighter, but Dan Gable is the standard by which greatness is measured. In this case, GSP just doesn’t measure up.

For the few of my readers who still believe that GSP would be the victor, I encourage you to check out Mr. James Ryan’s take on this epic showdown.