UFC 129 Fight Card Prediction: Shields Doesn't Have What It Takes to Beat GSP

When watching Jake Shields fight, I see a pretty well rounded fighter.

There is however, one aspect of his game that he lacks and it’s something that takes years to improve if you aren’t naturally gifted with it. The one aspect Shields is lacking is speed and it’s the one weapon that Georges St-Pierre will use against him to win this fight.

Shields is a naturally big welterweight. Carrying a lot of muscle around usually makes a fighter slower. Having fought as a middleweight for most of his career, Shields was walking around at 200 lbs, but is now at a healthy 183 and says he’ll have no problem cutting down to 170.

Even though he’s shed some muscle, I don’t see how he will be able to improve his speed and agility to the point that he will need to win come fight night.

GSP trains with larger opponents regularly and not just any opponents. The champ trains with UFC middleweight and light heavyweight contenders and former champions, one after another for not five, but six, five minute rounds.

Shields has never trained so hard for a fight in his life and yet, his training still falls short of what GSP goes through for every fight and GSP is actually ramping up his training for his bout with Shields, as if that’s even possible.

Shields claims that his 15 fight winning streak will give him an advantage against the champ.

GSP has been preparing for five, five-minute title bouts for his last 10 fights, 9 of which he won in dominant fashion and not giving up a single round since his loss to Matt Serra in 2007.

The best fighters that the world has to offer all have something in common after facing GSP in the Octagon; a look of complete frustration as the champ’s hand is raised in victory yet again.

On April 30, 2011, I expect to see the same look on the face of Jake Shields after understanding firsthand what it’s like to be beaten by the world’s greatest welterweight.