The buzz on the web is that Georges St. Pierre did not waste his time in Brazil. Training under his Brazilian coach Bruna Fernandes at Gracie Barra has earned him a black belt in BJJ. (As pictured in the Gracie Mag: see picture above of GSP with his coach Bruno Fernandes.)
Having a black belt has not helped many (Jon Fitch) attain championship status. It does, however, raise GSP's stock in the eyes of people who consider such things as being of the utmost importance (BJ Penn), not to mention countless commentators.
For what he has accomplished without the belt, I, and many other fans, have found Georges to be that much more impressive. Now everyone can rest assured that he has the pedigree to go along with his MMA abilities.
Sincere congratulations, Georges. Your progress up the ladder is incredible, considering how busy you are and how little time you have to yourself for such pursuits. What can I say (that I haven't already—readers, bear witness)? You are the man!
And from what Georges has been saying in interviews and on his blog on the Yard Barker, he is ready to take on BJ Penn as soon as the contract is signed.
The best part of his disclosure of strategy for the Penn fight is, in my opinion, that he fully intends to "finish him" this time out. Hurrah! There is nothing that I would like better.
After the eye gouge and the smart a**ed remark about "I went to a bar to party after the fight; Georges went to the hospital," I would like to see the same fate befall Penn.
But please, Georges, do not take a page out of Baby Jay's book and lap up his blood. It is gross and very unsanitary! Plus, I love the way you distinguish yourself from the Baby. Don't ever become crude like him. Your fans love you for what you are: a gentleman and one hell of a fighter!
Grandma would love to have a son/grandson just like you. I know your mother is proud!
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about 1 month ago
GSP is a true mixed martial artist and class act. That fact that he continues to dedicate himself to the sport by earning that black belt, despite already being so dominant, is great to see.
I hope that, at the end of this fight, we have a similar situation which happened after the BJ Penn/ Jens Pulver fight. They showed each other respect. Personally I like BJ Penn, despite some misgivings, and I will be curious to see how he handles himself if he loses. I hope with class.
about 1 month ago
So you're going for GSP eh? I want GSP to win as well, but if BJ trains intensely for this fight, it could go either way. Plus, even though GSP may be a BJJ black belt, BJ Penn is a BJJ champion. Eye gouging aside, BJ Penn is one of the most talented people in MMA.
from about 1 month ago
But how can you put the eye gouging aside when it is so serious?
about 1 month ago
Darren,
I completely agree with you on BJ. He is a superior fighter to just about anyone. I definitely think BJ has all the tools to win but right now but...
from about 1 month ago
Come on Brian, I am a big girl, "I definitely think BJ has all the tools to win but right now . . . Dorothy did not list that as an option in her poll," right?
from about 1 month ago
Ha, your right Dorthy. I picked GSP to win by decision.
from about 1 month ago
Love ya fella.
about 1 month ago
"The best part of his disclosure of strategy for the Penn fight is, in my opinion, that he fully intends to "finish him" this time out."
So the basic problem with GSP last time was that he didn't finish BJ? How's he going to go that one step further this time? Hit BJ's fists even harder and more frequently with his face?
"After the eye gouge and the smart a**ed remark about "I went to a bar to party after the fight; Georges went to the hospital,"
That wasn't a remark meant to belittle GSP, it was a comment made regarding the judges and the fact that GSP 'won' the fight and then spent the night in hospital having his clock dial surgically repaired since it looking like he'd been stopping trucks by headbutting them, and BJ, having 'lost' the fight, didn't have a scratch on him. As for eye gouging ... it happens. Smaller gloves, untethered thumbs, strikes to the face. Tough luck.
As for the black belt success, it means nothing. I've seen dan grade students that were woeful in combat, but excelled at kata, and gained their status that way. I've seen purple belts that were far more talented than their instructors. George is more than capable of grappling with anybody, and was of that standard anyway. His belt is just a recognition, nothing more. He was already good enough.
I can't vote on the poll, I'm afraid, you haven't included the "Don't be ridiculous, BJ's gonna hand GSP his own ass" option. ;)
from about 1 month ago
There is a very good reason for the options I offered--it is MY poll! You will have to leave my page to worship "the baby" Jab, or Jay Penn, that is.
from about 1 month ago
Wow thats a bold pick Jay! As I mentioned I like both GSP and BJ so you can imagine how excited I am for this fight. I just haven't been able to visualize how BJ will win though.
If the fight goes to the judges I see GSP winning. And I dont see BJ getting a TKO like he did over Sean Sherk. And I dont see him sinking a rear naked choke like he did over Joe Stevenson.
Help me figure out how BJ is going to pull this out? I'm curious to know your thoughts?
from about 1 month ago
Me too. I can visualize BJ lapping up a lot of blood as he licks his own wounds afterwards.
about 1 month ago
Don't get me wrong, Dorothy, I wasn't rebutting you or your comments, the quote was from GSP, not you, and he's going to have to perform far better this time to beat BJ.
Again, the BJ comment was from him, not you, and that's what I was putting into context, not correcting you for getting it wrong. ;)
People seem to be blinded by this GSP P4P idea, in much the same way people think Anderson Silva is unbeatable. They aren't, and I readily admit BJ isn't unbeatable either. The major rationale is that GSP is so much better now than when these 2 first fought, but so is Penn.
Out of 19 wins, GSP has won by knockout 5 times (yes, he's had a stoppage due to cuts, and a stoppage due to knees, but he has won by KO or TKO stand-up 5 times). Those aren't the figures of a striker. Yes, he's good on his feet, better than most, but he isn't a striker, he'd win by TKO more often if he was. BJ has never been knocked out, nor so much as knocked down. He's fought from 155 up to 205 (Penn vs Lyoto Machida was a catchweight of Penn at 193lbs, Machida at 205lbs, and Machida can punch!) He's been hit by good lightheavyweight strikers, and not been decked. GSP, at 2 weight divisions below, isn't going to be able to do it - yes, I acknowledge any fighter on any given day can be hit with that perfect punch and get sparked, but that applies to both fighters, so taking that away, GSP is NOT knocking BJ Penn out.
His wrestling is superb, olympic standard, even, but wrestling doesn't win fights. It gets you into a position to win fights, but it doesn't win fights. He can't pin BJ's shoulders to the mat and be awarded the 3 count, so his wrestling will be a precursor to ground and pound, and that's fine, he's good at it. So's BJ, and Penn, like GSP, will be prepared to take a few shots to get the position they want. Firstly he has to get BJ to the mat, and that won't be easy (although I'm sure he will, GSP's workrate is great). Having said that, GSP's wrestling means he'll be taking BJ down. The one place I wouldn't want to be is on the ground with BJ Penn, whether that's in BJ's guard or with BJ in his guard. GSP may have his black belt now, but that's just an official certificate, he's been black belt standard for a long time, he hasn't just woken up with 200% more BJJ skills. BJ is better. Simple as that.
Deciding factor could very well be cardio, and GSP isn't worth discussing, we all know what shape he'll come into the cage in. BJ, tho', has something about him nowadays that he didn't have earlier, and I pretty much always go with the intangible.
BJ, by TKO or sub during the match. GSP by decision, if it goes the distance. Besides, a good hard poke in the eye goes a long way. ;)
from about 1 month ago
Out of Penn's 13 career wins:
BJ has five submission wins and five T(KO) wins. 4 of his 5 submission wins were via rear naked choke. He was one arm triangle choke. Again, I just can see BJ sinking either one of these on Georges.
And in terms of striking GSP isn't a KO artist and neither is BJ. Penn is more of a surgical accurate striker. And one of the most underrated in MMA. He will land efficiently and pick you apart if you let him, like Sherk did. Sherk couldn't take BJ down and got punished for it. GSP will be able to take BJ down at some point. St. Pierre won't stand their and trade with BJ for 5 rounds because he knows better.
I agree with what you said: GSP is NOT knocking BJ Penn out. And I dont think BJ Penn WILL knock out GSP either.
Regardless both of these men are at the peak of their game which is what makes this fight so exciting. Forget the first fight, its irrelevant at this point. This is the fight we have all been waiting for.
about 1 month ago
It is an awesome fight, and it makes some of the lesser cards (or crap and boring ones, to be precise) worth sitting through. What we're all doing here is exactly what the Countdown to Penn vs GSP will be doing: convincing everyone that either man has a chance to beat the other. The PPV buys on this one will be huge.
Some stats, from both fighters win rscords (not total fights, wins):
BJ Penn
Win by Striking - 38%
Win by Submission - 38%
Win by Decision - 24%
GSP
Striking - 29% (41%)
Submission - 29%
Decision - 29%
The bracket figure is GSP's total 7 TKOs, which I'm not registering as 1 was on the ground (knees to Matt Serra's chunky ribs, and I don't see GSP manhandling BJ like he dad Serra), and 1 for cut stoppage, which won't happen since BJ's face is crafted from the finest mahogany and tyrannosaur leather.
BJ wins by TKO or submission or GSP wins by decision.
In reality, GSP's submission rate should be lower, as 1 of them was RNC of Frank Trigg, and everyone's done that. Even my mom, he jumped in the queue ahead of her at the store, and she whipped the arm round, locked the other one in and he started tapping, just as the 'Next Customer' light started blinking.
from about 1 month ago
Jay,
You are more humorous in this comment then convincing. And humor is a better weapon then logic so keep up the good work =)
I will try to visualize BJ getting that rear naked choke or a TKO but I cant promise anything.
about 1 month ago
I don't need to be convincing, Brian, the statistics say far more than I ever could. BJ's found a can o' whoop ass, and it's got GSP's name on it. ;)
about 1 month ago
Georges has a secret that BJ doesn't know about, but will learn. I have put BJ in a coconut and Georges breaks one open each morning for practice--the mahogany will break and down will fall Baby Jay, craked like the Hawaiian coco "nut" he is.
about 1 month ago
I see GSP adopting the Matt Serra strategy and winning by Decision or a possible TKO. i mean look at BJ's second fight with Matt Hughes.....
from about 1 month ago
Yeah, exactly!
about 1 month ago
You mean the second fight with Matt Hughes where Penn went toe-to-toe in stand-up with Hughes, and beat him easily, for the first round, then took Hughes to the ground in the second round and basically toyed with him before taking Hughes' back yet again? During the manoeuvre Penn seperated a rib which caused him to have trouble breathing and moving his core, and still managed to lock in an armbar that Hughes barely managed to hold on from when the bell sounded, and the third round, when Penn was basically disabled, Hughes finally managed to get a win against Penn? When BJ was injured?
That second fight?
about 1 month ago
It was evidence of BJ's poor nuitrition and his body was telling giving him an urgent and must needed lesson and message to change his ways. Even a "prodigy" must put in the work and training to win. Maybe he has learned, maybe he hasn't. We will know on Dec, 31, if he survives being put in a cocnut--who knows?
about 1 month ago
I don't really care for your poll. The option i wanted was not available.
It would have said: GSP loses in the third by some crazy submission never seen before.
No matter what color GSP's belt is, BJ is far beyond anyone one the ground.
GSP is one of the most impressive mmaer of all time but mr. penn
is the most impressive. The way he trains now makes hum unstoppable.
love you Dorthy.
about 1 month ago
Love you too, but will agree to disagree for our friendship's sake, OK?
about 1 month ago
Like i was telling some other people...yes GSP's BJJ is nowhere near BJ's....that's just a fact. But like i said before, if GSP can adopt the Matt Serra strategy of just grinding his opponent down and not turning it into a BJJ fight (which he can) BJ is in for a long night. Brock Lesner imposed a similar gameplan on Heath Herring. Even when BJ has come conditioned...he slowly fades away with every round. BJ can't handle the pace GSP can impose on him, two different human beings, two different levels of athleticism. So i am telling you...its BJ in the first round (slim chance)........or GSP wins by decision or tko in the later rounds (much bigger chance and where my $ is at).
about 1 month ago
You poll is a bit biased no?
from about 1 month ago
Absolutely, and that was my purpose--I am old and crafty, and have to keep the edge or the young and fair will leave me in the dust, right?
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