UFC 129 Fight Card: What Jake Shields Must Do To Upset Georges St-Pierre
UFC 129 will feature one of the biggest welterweight showdowns in MMA history as Jake Shields (26-4-1) will challenge Georges St-Pierre (21-2).
Shields will be a huge underdog as he’s up against one of the most well-rounded fighters in MMA history.
St-Pierre is no easy task for anyone.
If Shields has any chance of beating St-Pierre, here are some things he’ll have to do.
Improve His Striking
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It amazes me how Shields can train with Gilbert Melendez and Nick and Nate Diaz and still not have a top-notch striking game.
Shields is a good wrestler and great jiu-jitsu practitioner but is lacking in the striking game.
If Shields has any chance against St-Pierre, he’ll either have to become crisp and accurate with his punches, or throw some power into them.
Nobody is predicting Shields to win a stand-up war.
But if he can find a way to hang with St-Pierre on the feet, it could open up other things in his game.
Gain Dominant Position on the Ground and Keep It
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Unless Shields' striking has greatly improved, he’ll be looking to take the fight to the ground.
If he’s able to get St-Pierre to the ground, he’ll have to find a way to keep him there.
Easier said than done.
St-Pierre is one of the most dominant guys on the ground.
If Shields is to have any chance in this fight, he’ll have to do something he’s known for. Take the guy down, and hold top position.
If he does not get top position, he’ll have to be able to prove why he’s a dominant jiu-jitsu fighter, and pull something great off his back.
Be Able To Make Adjustments
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St-Pierre is great at changing things up and exploiting weakness.
Shields will also have to be able to do this.
St-Pierre does not have many weaknesses to exploit.
But what Shields can try to do is show St-Pierre and the rest of the world something we haven’t seen.
Whether it's attacking from odd angles, pulling a great jiu-jitsu move out of nowhere, or being able to get out of trouble, Shields will have to be able to adjust to the pace and pressure St-Pierre goes.
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Keep the Pressure on St-Pierre
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Because it is very hard to get anything going against St-Pierre, fighters have a hard time putting any kind of pressure on him.
Shields will have to be different.
Whether it is standing up or on the ground, Shields will have to bring it every round.
St-Pierre is a guy who won’t slow down.
Even when he suffered a groin injury in the middle of his fight with Thiago Alves, St-Pierre kept the pressure on.
Shields will have to show changes from his last fight, improve his stamina, and keep the pace up.
Keep the Fight Close
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One of the things that makes St-Pierre so dominant is his ability to utilize space and distance.
When he needs to, he’s able to strike without getting hit back.
Then out of nowhere he’s going for a takedown.
What Shields will have to do is close the distance without taking a bunch of damage or getting taken down.
Shields will also have to make the necessary adjustments to keep the fight close in the judges’ eyes.
St-Pierre has not lost a single round since his first fight with Josh Koscheck back in 2007.
If Shields has a chance, he’ll have to keep the fight close or dominate.
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