The Last Emperor Vs. The Spider: A Dream Matchup!

mike harvey — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:03:25 -0500

It seems like every MMA fan loves to talk about the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. We have a great fight coming up on Jan 31. Just in case you've been living under a rock, we are all going to be treated to B.J. Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre 2.

This is an example of two fighters making a super fight happen. B.J. is proving that he is not afraid to move up in weight and fight a seemingly untouchable champion. GSP would have good reason to try and avoid this fight because he has more to lose than gain.

If he wins people can make the argument that he should win because he's much bigger than Penn, and if Penn wins, then GSP will be looked at as a welterweight that let a lightweight step up and beat him. However, GSP, being the professional he is, took the fight without hesitation.

So am I the only person that can see a fight between Fedor and Anderson Silva as a reality? I think most people would agree that in any discussion that involves the best fighter pound for pound, Silva and Fedor are at the top of the list.

In fact these two fighters are most likely Nos. 1 and 2 on everyone's list. So why can't we get this fight? Anderson Silva looked great when he fought at light heavyweight and from what I hear, he walks around around 210-220lbs; after all, he is listed at 6'2".

Fedor is a machine and most people are quick to comment on his physique, or lack there of, and the fact that he is not the most intimidating fighter when it comes to looks.

Fedor is listed at 6'0" and is probably closer to 5'11" and weighs 233lbs. One benefit of being a heavyweight is that your average fighter in that division doesn't have to worry about making weight. It is safe to assume that Fedor doesn't cut weight before his fights, and if what I hear is true, without cutting weight, Silva is a natural heavyweight.

In fact, I couldn't tell a difference in him when he fought at 205 from his normal fighting weight of 185. That's probably because when he steps into the ring as a middleweight, he probably weighs 200-plus, which is not uncommon in MMA.

I could understand Silva not wanting to fight at heavyweight because he would be a small heavyweight but he looks as big as any other fighter at 205. So why can't Fedor drop 28lbs. and fight Silva at light heavyweight? Fedor has 28lbs on his frame to lose and anyone can see that.

Fighters like Couture, Shamrock, Ortiz and Griffen have larger frames than Fedor and they all make 205. What MMA fan would not go to any length to watch this fight? I truly believe that this fight could happen if we, the fans, demanded it.

Dana White, you are indeed a smart man, so I know you've thought about this if I have. If you really want to bring MMA into the mainstream, this would be a great stride. I really couldn't care less where the fight took place or what organization put it on.

Come on MMA fans, let's let our voices be heard.

BJ Penn: The MMA Prodigy

mike harvey — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:51:17 -0500

I’ve been a Mixed Martial Arts fan since the tournament days back when we were all introduced to BJJ and great fighters such as Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn and Don Frye.

It’s been great watching the development of the fighters and the sport as a whole. Like every other sport, we have all been treated to mega fights that seem to come along every few years. You know fights like Gracie-Ken Shamrock, Frye-Coleman, Tito-Frank Shamrock, Liddell-Silva and most recently Lesnar-Couture.

Unfortunately, very few times these great fights take place exactly when they should. I believe BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre is possibly the greatest fight in MMA history, though, with both men in their prime and seemingly untouchable. Thank you, Dana White, for putting this fight together for all of us true MMA fanatics.

As I anxiously await for UFC 94, I can’t help but notice most of the articles I read are written by people that believe GSP is an overwhelming favorite. I enjoy watching GSP fight and one would have to be a fool to believe that he is anything other than one of the top 10 fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, and top five from 170 pounds and below. With that being said, BJ Penn is a better fighter and he will prove it to the world when they face each other on Jan. 31.

I can hear it now, “GSP beat him before and he will do it again.” Well, it is true GSP holds a split decision win over Baby Jay, and nobody can take that away from him. A win that St. Pierre must surely remember, after all; he did spend the night in the hospital afterward.

I still don’t understand how anyone could look at the two in their interviews after their first fight and believe GSP won. He did manage to take BJ down and defend against BJ’s submission attempts for most of rounds two and three after BJ battered him from one side of the cage to the other in the first. At best that fight should have been a draw with BJ winning the first round, 10-8, and GSP winning rounds two and three, 10-9. The past is passed, and that terrible decision surely will motivate Penn.

Since the second Hughes fight, Penn made a career decision to start training like a professional. Raw talent led BJ to be one of the best pound for pound MMA fighters in the world and a BJJ world champion. Pound for pound that has a meaning of it’s own when it comes to BJ Penn; after all, he did go toe to toe with Lyoto Machida at 205 and put on a BJJ clinic against Renzo and Rodrigo Gracie at 185, then smashed Takanori Gomi at 160, so I guess you could say he’s just one of the world's greatest fighters who steps it up in any weight class.

His submission skills are better than GSP's, his standup is better than GSP's and, this time, his conditioning will be better than GSP's. BJ cut 20 pounds in two days to make 170 for their first fight; he has stated that he will not cut weight for their upcoming fight and will weigh in between 160-165 pounds in the best shape of his life.

St. Pierre’s wrestling skills and his size will not factor into this fight; you can count on it. BJ has fought larger fighters before and he has never been overwhelmed.

Look out, Georges, BJ will not gas this time, and if you try and lay on him because you’re afraid to engage standing, he is going to choke you out. Don’t forget, GSP has been knocked out before, by a lesser opponent, and on Jan. 31 at UFC 94 he will sleep again.

Bleacher Report - Articles by mike harvey

The Last Emperor Vs. The Spider: A Dream Matchup!

BJ Penn: The MMA Prodigy