UFC 129 Predictions: Can Jake Shields Really Threaten Georges St-Pierre?

UFC Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has more than proven that he is indeed the king of the Welterweight division and one the greatest pound-for-pound fighters to walk this earth.

He is now about to face former Strike force Middleweight Champion and jiu-jitsu black belt in Jake Shields. The question is. Can Shields defeat St-Pierre? I highly doubt it.

Let’s take a quick look into their fighting styles.

Shields is a Jiu-Jistu stylist whose game plan always seems to be working for that single leg and taking the fight to the mat and look for submissions.

St-Pierre's style is mostly a safety-first approach that consists of waiting for the right moment to take his opponent down and pound them. Although his recent victory over Josh Koscheck proved to everyone once again that his striking is still something to think about.

Both fighters recently have not put up the most Fight of the Night worthy performances. However they’ve proven that their styles are efficient and guarantee them victories.

The fact that Shields has not been defeated since 2004 and St-Pierre since 2007 is evidence.

The reasons why I do not see Jake Shields defeating St-Pierre, is simply that he does not have the skills to get the fight to ground to work the style that has kept him undefeated for many years.

Georges St-Pierre has out-wrestled many great wrestlers, such as Matt Hughes, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and Sean Sherk (at Welterweight). He will dictate where the fight will take place and I do not see shields being able to take St-Pierre down. Advantage St-Pierre.

Not to mention St-Pierre has a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and he is very good on the ground as well.

Another big factor to this fight is the striking; Jake Shields' striking is mediocre when compared to St-Pierre’s previous opponents (Alves, Hardy and Penn), or St-Pierre Himself.

Georges St-Pierre is a third-degree Kyokushin Karate Black Belt and when you compare his striking skills to that of Shields, there isn’t much to compare. Advantage St-Pierre.

The only place where Shields has any threat whatsoever to St-Pierre is by some miracle he is able to get the fight to the ground. Advantage Shields.

I believe that Shields will desperately try to get this fight to the ground as I really do not see him hurting St-Pierre standing up. I believe St-Pierre will pick him apart standing up and controlling the pace of the fight. I predict that St-Pierre will eventually exhaust Shields and go for the finish he so desperately wants.

George St-Pierre via fourth-round TKO.