Maybe George St. Pierre’s body really has been breaking down in the prime of his life following a career filled with fighting UFC legends, up and comers and those tough, technical madmen in between. Maybe.
But lately, his conspicuous crown seems inconspicuously heavy; five years as ruler of the welterweight division can do it to the best of them. He has twice pulled out of scheduled main event fights against two of the most dangerous fighters he has faced since his rematch with Matt Serra, the only man to stop him with punches in MMA’s biggest upset.
As good and as tough as Matt Hughes, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, BJ Penn and Sean Sherk were, none of them, except for the smaller Penn, are all around technique fighters like Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit and MMA true to the bone, bad boy Nick Diaz. Diaz and Condit don’t rely on the stand up game to win. They also don’t rely on the ground game as their go to. They are ambidextrous in their winning ways. They have proven to beat the bombers on their feet and the grapplers on the ground.
George St. Pierre or, as the MMA world calls him, GSP, could retire tomorrow and he will be a shoe in for the UFC’s Hall of Fame (though even without a UFC HOF, he’s an MMA Hall of Famer for sure). But in another realm of combat sports, GSP may find his legacy tainted. For just as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao’s careers have been impressive, and for all they have accomplished, their careers will still seem unfulfilled if they never meet. GSP’s career may seem the same way as Diaz and Condit have been fighting at the contender level for the last five years in different organizations internationally.
GSP’s last time in the octagon was almost a year ago and it was a less than stellar showing against top contender Jake Shields. GSP, while winning comfortably on points, sounded less like a king defending his rule and more like a protector of a throne. Shields has since been knocked out in one round by Jake Ellenberger, who, in turn, lost a close decision to Condit in 2009. GSP’s best hope is for a truly magnificent fight which will produce a truly magnificent contender that MMA fans will pay to see.
And that brings us back to Diaz and Condit; two honey badgers fighting for the same prize. They both fight with unbridled fury unusual for fighters with such technically superior skills and conditioning. They both go for the knockout every time the fight is on the feet and they always go for submissions when the fight is on the ground. These fighters always give fans a top-quality production on every level and give fans their money’s worth.
Diaz fights with an aggression that is only matched by his prefight antics. He genuinely dislikes the
business of fighting but he gives all fighters
the business. Diaz brings five thousand volts of pain that is given even more intensity by the crowds that ignite his style with their roars. Diaz lets his emotions ooze from his pores and he translates those emotions into crisp punches and a never-say-die attitude.
Condit is not to be outdone. He carries the professionalism befitting a fighter who respects the sideshow that goes with promoting a fight. But he also fights like a Mack truck with no brakes trying to avoid a cliff. For every kick, punch, and slam he receives he intends on shaking it off and giving it just as good as he got it; just like Diaz.
The pick here is that Condit will make it past the finish line via a close decision. He is less war-torn than Diaz and does not allow his emotions to betray the fight’s strategy.
Of course, GSP will be watching. And waiting.
