TUF 12 Preview: Freddie Roach Talks About Training With Georges St. Pierre

by Nick Thomas on Jul 12, 2010 10:02 PM EDT in MMA News

"[Georges St. Pierre] He’s like a sponge, he took in what I taught him and really practiced. He would come back the next day and know the move, I’d say "You went home and practiced that move all night long and he would just smile at me." Roach said.

"Great guy; really didn’t know much about boxing per se but ability-wise, he absorbed everything I taught him. He asked me about making an appearance on his show, he’s a coach I said "I won’t show them what I showed you!" Roach laughed.

"He’s a great guy. Working with one of the best guys in the sport, its kind of an honor for me to help guys like that out."

HT: fighttube.tv, fightersonlymagazine.co.uk
The Ultimate Fighter 12 debut coverage

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I think it would be great

to see him get into a boxing match with Koscheck. I don’t doubt that something like that will happen. I would have given the edge to GSP before working with Roach. Definitely will now.

Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.

by Geno Mrosko on Jul 12, 2010 8:06 PM EDT reply actions

Before actually making my comment, let me say that seeing your picture and signature makes my day constantly. The Big Lebowski is one of my all time favorites, hands down.

GSP will outstrike Kos handily, but people are going to come and say that he’ll be scared of his power and just want to grapple. I think GSP is going to strike with Kos, and toss in some wrestling, but with emphasis being on striking. GSP can be beaten, but what is overlooked, is that it took a lot more than one clean shot to put him out. It’s not like you just have to hit his chin and it’s over. In fact, Serra had to go nuts to finish him, and it was one of the best examples of finishing a hurt opponent there has ever been (Carwin, take notes). GSP is a far better fighter now, and can shoot in and secure the takedown any time he pleases if he becomes uncomfortable on the feet. Kos is a worthy, capable opponent, but GSP is going to make a statement in their fight.

From all reports she (Cyborg) pretty much only spars men, and has been known to put some out during training. - Rudinho479

by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 12, 2010 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions

No doubt.

The Big Lebowski is the greatest movie of all time. I won’t even listen to an argument against it.

Great point in bringing up the way he was beaten by Serra. For some reason everyone questions his chin but it’s actually one of the better chins in MMA. Serra caught him flush a few times and never put him out.

I also liked your slipping in the dig on Carwin. Very nicely done. And very true. Serra did an unbelievable good job of knowing he had him hurt and staying patient and looking for his shots as opposed to just blitzing and throwing heavy hands. If Carwin is as smart as many believe him to be then he will learn from it.

Koscheck, to me, was always the guy at Welterweight that I feel like could beat him. GSP gets the edge in pretty much every major category but not by too much. The first fight was a razor thin decision. I like your usage of the words worthy and capable. He is definitely both those things. This will be GSP’s first opponent where he has to worry about both the stand up and the takedowns. Koscheck, while not being the greatest at submissions, can choke you out if you aren’t careful.

The past few fights for GSP he has had a very clear path to victory. Not this one. He is better than Koscheck but Kos can hang with him in most areas. The fact that GSP is working on his boxing so much makes me think that he believe his best chance at winning is on the feet. We shall see.

Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.

by Geno Mrosko on Jul 12, 2010 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn it.

I meant that this will be his first opponent, since Koscheck himself back at UFC 74, that he’ll have to worry about both the stand up and the takedowns.

Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.

by Geno Mrosko on Jul 12, 2010 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I think Kos is the best equipped to face GSP. Funny thing is, while people will crack on GSP’s chin, how about the challenger himself? Did he not get put away by Paulo Thiago? And GSP doesn’t exactly hit softly himself.

It’s a better match up than I first gave it credit for, as I was pulling for Jake Shields to get the next shot. It’ll definitely be a great fight, as calm as GSP has been about his critics, I think there’s going to be a bit of a fire in his style we haven’t seen in a while. Not exactly the first fighter on my list of “people to piss off”, if getting beaten motivated him so much, I’m thinking being doubted will have similar effects.

From all reports she (Cyborg) pretty much only spars men, and has been known to put some out during training. - Rudinho479

by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 12, 2010 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Would love to see GSP vs Kos in a stand-up war.

MMA Aggregator - http://mma.ly

by mma.ly on Jul 12, 2010 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe now he’ll knock some folks out standing and the GSP haters will shut up!

The guy is the best in the world at his weight, and maybe at any weight. He became the best wrestler in MMA without an ammature wrestling background. People complain about his boxing or not finishing fights on his feet (which is absurd) but I would bet he has the ability to become the best boxer in his division if he keeps working this hard.

It takes a humble person to be as great and acomplished as he is, but still seek out the best of the best to fill in the FEW gaps that he has. Dude really wants to be PERFECT someday and I admire that. He’s smart and he knows someday the game wil pass him by like it does everyone, but he’ll be ready for the next generation GSP’s with a HUGE bag of tricks. (Unlike Hughes, sorry.)

This dude is a freak athlete and a student of the game… Thats an scary combination.

A true MMA fan from the great state of Arkansas.

by MMArazorback on Jul 12, 2010 8:25 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Beautiful!

It is just beautiful to see two classy guys training together and respecting each other. Freddie Roach proves that there are still nice genuine people in this world!

I'm from Canada, and they think I'm slow eh!

by Simboy on Jul 12, 2010 8:26 PM EDT reply actions

I just hope Roach doesn’t fill his head with a lot of hype like Arlovski. Make GSP think he is the next great striking machine, and then get KTFO by Koscheck. Arlovski was a Master of Sport in SAMBO, and you never even see him try to take a fight to the ground now.

by Naztuu on Jul 12, 2010 8:33 PM EDT reply actions

I doubt GSP will let his new found boxing skills go to his head.

He’s a much smarter fighter than AA.

by E-ROC on Jul 12, 2010 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Arlovski’s mental problems go much deeper than anything to do with Freddie Roach. GSP has worked with a sports psychologist and knows how to keep himself within himself; Arlovski has shown signs, both in fights and in his comments about his personal life, that he’s not entirely balanced of late.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jul 12, 2010 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions

To put it simply

Freddie Roach is the man… best trainer alive. Period.

by Matthew DiRienzo on Jul 12, 2010 8:34 PM EDT reply actions

Freddie Roach is a fantastic trainer …. for boxers.

The jury is still very much out on his work with MMA fighters.

by Steve4192 on Jul 13, 2010 8:24 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

your comment makes no sense

he shows MMA fighters how to box….not how to be MMA fighters

the same goes for any coach or trainer……they show fighters how to do one thing good

by midbc on Jul 13, 2010 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions

It makes lots of sense

Boxing fundamentals will get you killed in a MMA fight.

Total MMA: "The best book on the real history of MMA that I’ve seen," Dave Meltzer

by Jonathan Snowden on Jul 13, 2010 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Indeed; the responsibility is on the fighter and his coaches to make sure that what is learned from a sport-specific trainer like Roach is translated properly to the fighter’s MMA game.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jul 13, 2010 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Boxing for boxing and boxing for MMA are different things

and Roach doesn’t know much about MMA

by Shaun32887 on Jul 13, 2010 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

My reasoning

Freddie Roach is the greatest trainer in boxing right now. He is so good that elite MMA fighters (Anderson Silva and GSP) seek him out because he is so good. You can try and make the boxing vs MMA comparison but as of right now, he is the best trainer in all of combat sports.

Maybe in a few years someone like Greg Jackson will take his place, but not right now

by Matthew DiRienzo on Jul 13, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Respect GSP

please be the fighter that brings technical expert level boxing into mma the way you brought dominating technical wrestling.

I say this now…if GSP learns to expertly box, he will be the P4P best ever, uneffing real badass (I say this as a huge critic of his), passing anderson silva and whomever else pops up

by oousty on Jul 12, 2010 8:36 PM EDT reply actions

god damnit, is anyone else here tired of trainers referring to their students as sponges?

you’d think they were training this guy

by kanodogg on Jul 12, 2010 8:38 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

i mainly hear it for GSP and Lesnar and i believe it with them

Meow? Meow?? Meow! ohhhhhh.... Meow =)

by SherCat on Jul 12, 2010 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions

i’ve heard it for kimbo slice, james toney, brock lesnar, and i think for ricardo mayorga too.

by kanodogg on Jul 12, 2010 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't see why it bothers you..

Would you rather Roach tried to be original and called him a tampon?

Green Jacket, Gold Jacket, who gives a shit?

by Hendar on Jul 12, 2010 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs

i don’t see why a tired metaphor is necessary

by kanodogg on Jul 12, 2010 9:33 PM EDT up reply actions

What about a tired comment? No offense seriously but as I read the quote I knew someone was going to make that exact comment

I'm a lover not a fighter

by spectaa on Jul 12, 2010 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah i’m sure you did

EVERYONE that is training under EVERYONE is a sponge, let it be known.

by kanodogg on Jul 12, 2010 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

lol, what a thing to get your panties in a bunch over

Roach thinks GSP is a great student, and he’s expressing that. Get over man.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former - Albert Einstein"
- Goonisis

by Goonisis on Jul 13, 2010 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah dude there no I in team, we gave 110 percent, I just got caught, this is the toughest fight of my cay-rear, Underrated ground game

by kanodogg on Jul 13, 2010 8:38 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

It's not a metaphor

It’s a simile.

And yes, I do hate myself.

"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Jul 13, 2010 7:09 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

He could call Kos a tampon

I think his fro is very absorbent.

I'm better than you. Na na na boo boo, stick your head in doo doo.

by Earl Montclair on Jul 13, 2010 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions

A Sponge Bop for Lesnar

Hell, I might even get on top of my wife tonight.

by truck on Jul 12, 2010 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs

Freedie Roach

He did wonders for the “Pitbulls” career,2 straight knockout defeats.

by TERRENCEFROMSOUTHEAST on Jul 12, 2010 8:55 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t think you can knock Roach as a “boxing” trainer. He has the resume to prove he is the best in the sport. However, everyone talks about how MMA striking is not the same as Boxing striking. So, you take a guy like Roach, he works with a gifted athlete( like AA or GSP ) and trains them in striking. Tells them how great at boxing they are now…and they go out and try to finish their next fight on the feet and get beat.

by Naztuu on Jul 12, 2010 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions

i’m sure throwing that flying knee vs. fedor wasn’t due to the skills roach gave him. and as for rogers, arlovski just got bum rushed and overwhelmed

by kanodogg on Jul 12, 2010 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions

WHAT??

I don’t understand it when he says gsp did not know a lot about boxing. GSP has trained at a all boxing gym for years in Montreal.

by sifuherc on Jul 12, 2010 9:04 PM EDT reply actions

I think he means the theory, tactics and practice of straight up boxing; of course GSP trains boxing technique, but as it applies to MMA. There’s a lot of differences, some of which includes subtleties that a fighter like GSP can incorporate into his game, and some of which don’t really translate over well.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jul 12, 2010 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

Compared to Roach, a whole load of people, even in the boxing world, don’t know much about boxing.

"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Jul 13, 2010 7:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Not that I’m not looking forward to this fight, because I am, but I was really hoping Dana was serious about a Kos v Fitch for title shot. I’m not trying to bring up the team mates not fighting debate, just a fight I’d like to see before either got a GSP rematch. Maybe that could have happened if Shields got signed sooner and got the title shot….

by alibabba on Jul 12, 2010 10:06 PM EDT reply actions