Quote of the Day: Firas Zahabi Sees a Lot of GSP in Jon Jones
by Michael Rome on Aug 5, 2009 4:43 PM EDT
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"We’re going to be working with Greg Jackson of course and the entire team that works with Georges St. Pierre will be working with Jon Jones. I expect a lot from this kid man. This kid is the real thing. I trained with him this morning and I’ve trained with a lot of fighters; this kid is the real thing. I see a lot of St. Pierre in him."
Firas Zahabi, commenting on the newest member of Tristar gym, Jon Jones.
This is an exciting development. Jones clearly has an incredible amount of raw potential and the physical tools to be a champion. He was always going to have to join up with other elite fighters as part of his natural progression, and I think he made the right choice.
Firas Zahabi is kind of in the John Hackleman position right now. He has one gigantic superstar that he trains, but if he can mold Jones into a champion as well he'll really join the list of elite MMA trainers.
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I hate people that do this. Jon Jones is talented but let him develop into his own fighter and not compare him to GSP or anyone elses
Speaking in generic terms, GSP is a highly athletic, highly motivated MMA fighter, who always strives to improve. Saying that someone else possesses this qualities is a compliment that does not limit them.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
by outlander78 on Aug 5, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Woah, Jones joined Tristar?
Oh fuck.
"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate
This
As if Jones wasn’t gonna be wrecking enough shit. I hope everybody in the LHW division already has their wills written.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Aug 5, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Wouldn’t you rather see regular defences, than champs fighting once per year as throughly-tested fighters emerge from the pile?
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
Of course, but I don’t think either guy deserves a shot just yet. I want to see one of them fight a top guy in WW like Alves, Kos, Fitch or Hughes. Look at the road Alves had to take to get a title shot.
You’re right. I’d like to see GSP do some more striking, and that’s more likely against Kos and Hughes than Swick – Swick’s another guy who GSP would ground and pound, I think. Though a submission would be a nice change as well.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
I don’t think we’d learn or see anything new with GSP vs Fitch II, though. He may be deserving of a rematch, but like Franklin vs Silva, I don’t think repeats will change things.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
agreed...
Swick would not stand a chance on the ground even through he trains with Fitch, Kos and Shields.
If GSP fights Kampmann, he should keep the fight standing since Kampmann has some good jitz. He should go for KOTN.
That’s why neither fight really interests me.
With wins over Carlos Condit and Mike Swick (in addition to being all sorts of bad ass), Martin Kampmann more than deserves his title shot.
Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com
by Mike Fagan on Aug 5, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
This.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 5, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions
The comparison between Hackleman and Firas seems apt.
I’ve just finish Chuck’s book, and it sounds like Hackleman is a great trainer. Why other people don’t use his school puzzles me. Firas is also a great trainer, though with a different problem – most of his publicity comes from the Penn vs GSP promos that highlighted how miserable living in Montreal in the winter is.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
Jon
is the perfect training partner for GSP for anderson! I hope that fight happening is the reason they brought Jones in.
Any word if he is still training with Bomb Squad in Cortland NY? He is still all over their website. If not there goes my hopes of ever sparing with him.
"Jon is the perfect training partner for GSP for anderson! I hope that fight happening is the reason they brought Jones in."
Jones is definitely a skilled up & comer but you need to pump the brakes on comparing him to Anderson. Being tall is not going to compare to what Silva brings.
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
yeah but anderson and jones striking is on two very different levels stylistically they are very different as well
There is really no one in the sport today
that can really mimic Silva’s fighting style. If you want to bring Jones in because he is tall & slender that is one thing, but you can’t compare them as fighters.
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
Excellent move for Jones.
By working with Firas, and as a result working with Greg Jackson and that camp of athletes, Jones is gonna develope amazingly. Yeah, Firas has like Hackleman right now, but hopefully he can show he can mold more than just one fighter. Worst case scenario, I figure Jones goes over to Greg Jackson’s camp 100% if things don’t work out with Firas.
I love me some Sexyama!
does this mean Jon Jones has to stop putting on exciting fights?
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
I often wonder how large the camp that thinks GSP’s fights against Alves and Penn were boring is.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
Remember last year in Chicago when everyone started booing every time the fight went to the ground? It’s probably bigger than you think.
I don’t think they’re actually going to let him kill me... And if he does kills me, book sales will really go up. Boom…win-win, bitch.- Forrest Griffin on Anderson Silva
by ufc4 on Aug 5, 2009 5:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
UFC 90, Maynard/Clementi?
Keep firing Assholes!
Thanks to Bisping's reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens, walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
I thought he meant GSP got booed when going to the ground. In my opinion, guys that appreciate grappling but find GSP boring may have something to say on the subject, but guys that don’t like any ground fighting should switch to boxing or K-1. Ground work has been critical since Gracie tore through UFC 1 and 2, and I doubt that will ever change.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
No, sorry if I confused you, it was the event headlined by Silva/Cote, UFC 90 as noober pointed out. It was kind of like the Lesnar/Mir fight where everyone started screaming “stand them up!” as soon as they hit the floor. Some people (probably a lot) just want to see quick KO’s, and that’s fine, but don’t boo the guys just because you don’t like grappling, that’s just rude. If they just take them down and lay on top of them then I understand but if guys are actually working for subs or trying to improve their position then leave them alone and let them do their job.
I don’t think they’re actually going to let him kill me... And if he does kills me, book sales will really go up. Boom…win-win, bitch.- Forrest Griffin on Anderson Silva
I remember back at UFC 94 when GSP and BJ were on the ground and GSP was in side control and BJ jail breaked to full guard people started cheering! I LOLed a little.
by bigislandboi808 on Aug 6, 2009 3:46 AM EDT up reply actions
They were only boring in the sense that both fights were one-sided beatings.
Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken
He’ll probably bust it out against Swick/Kampmann out of sheer boredom.
Keep firing Assholes!
Thanks to Bisping's reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens, walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
Damn GSP gets bored to when he watches his fights too?
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
You just don’t quit do ya?
If 25 minutes of sustained ass kicking + 10 minutes of that with a groin injury against a larger, stronger opponent isn’t enough, then there is no hope for you
Keep firing Assholes!
Thanks to Bisping's reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens, walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by Ubernoober on Aug 5, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Im not Knocking GSP as a fighter he is great but out of UFC 100 GSP/Alves was the least talked about pre fight and after. wonder why?
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
Because outspoken guys, especially heels like Lesnar, get far more press than the quiet ones. GSP and Alves were both respectful and largely quiet pre-fight, while Mir didn’t stop talking.
Pippen and Rodman were both in Jordan’s shadow during the Chicago Bulls run, but Rodman got lots of press because of his behaviour outside of the game.. Same thing here.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
Because Lesnar went into howler monkey mode, Bisping got his face punched off, and Sexyama won a razor thin decision.
Keep firing Assholes!
Thanks to Bisping's reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens, walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
If Brock took a guy down 20 times for 5 rounds and smothered him there would be a uproar. IMO if your P4P one of the best you should finish fights. and outlander MJ is a fucking mogul nobody got more air time then him. He helped make two of the biggest sponsors in sports. Gatorade and Nike while making himself a brand.
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
He also outstruck Alves on the feet. GSP would have stopped the fight if he hadn’t sprung his groin.
What were you expecting to see anyway?
Keep firing Assholes!
Thanks to Bisping's reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens, walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
Alves is a specialist. His leg kicks hold the key to his success you cant kick a wrestler without landing on your ass. Alves never had a chance before the fight started.
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him a year ago. I pulled it out of him and I beat him over the head with it." Brock Lesnar
So you complain when GSP fights the perfect fight? What the hell…
"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate
by Kaleb Kelchner on Aug 5, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
You can kick plenty of wrestlers in the legs. Alves has done it, and not been taken down, because he has great striking, as well as great TD defense and great size and strength.
He couldn’t do it to GSP because GSP is a kyokoshin black belt who’s been dealing with leg kicks since he was little. He couldn’t do it because GSP is an elite striker, with great muay thai training. He couldn’t do it because GSP has great footwork and impeccable timing – to go with his great TDs.
If a guy lasted against Lesnar for five rounds on the ground, he’d get major respect.
I expect Lesnar to get more airtime in the coming years than the three lightest UFC champs combined. I’m not a fan of his, but he knows how to work a crowd and drive up those PPV buys. My point was, behind the leader, who got more press – the quiet athlete or the raging alcoholic one?
Ubernoober is right, of course – the mouthy guys lost in decisive fashion, and there there was a questionable decision at the beginning. With all of that going on, an expected end to a fight between two quiet guys was never going to get any press.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
"The training's going great for UFC 101. I'm making sure not to overtrain." - B.J. Penn.
If Brock Lesnar takes a shit
There’s an uproar
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 5, 2009 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Now we are going to see Jardine, Evans and Jones refusing to fight eachother. Just like Kos, Swick and Fitch.
Great move by Jones though. He will be a contender by the end of 2010.
yeah but.....
…..why he gotta wear his shorts so damn high?
by I Can't Feel My Face on Aug 5, 2009 6:38 PM EDT reply actions
OOOOOOOOOoooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh SHIT
This is awesome for Jones. Look at how talented the guy is and how much he has already accomplished in basically just over a year of training, now he will be working with world class fighters and trainers on a regular basis, this can do nothing but good things for his career.
I don’t think they’re actually going to let him kill me... And if he does kills me, book sales will really go up. Boom…win-win, bitch.- Forrest Griffin on Anderson Silva
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