UFC 129 Fight Card: Hughes Says Shields Is an "Easy Fight" for GSP
by Nick Thomas on Mar 29, 2011 9:10 PM EDT
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"I think that's going to be a pretty easy fight. I really do. I think GSP's going to be able to do whatever he wants. Jake's not going to be able to get on top, so I just don't see him being effective really anywhere."
"I definitely don't think he's going to be able to take him down, and if Shields is on his back I just don't see him being effective. I have to really wonder why he got a title shot in the first place. But I'll tell you why he got a title shot is, there's no one else."
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Jealous much?? If anyone knows how it feels to have no chance against GSP now-a-days it’s you Matty.
Be a man, not a child-Phil Anselmo
by ANance on Mar 29, 2011 7:39 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
u mad bro? he speaks the truth.
"That's racism man, I love to racism bro!"
by Hendo_One-Shot on Mar 29, 2011 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
You're right, this iis just sour grapes from Hughes
or….. He knows what he’s talking about and happens to share the same opinion on this fight as most mma fans and pundits alike. But hey, it was a funny comment.
by Anton Chigurh on Mar 29, 2011 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
He's fought GSP three times and beaten him once
I’d say his opinion on the matter is something I’d like to hear.
The only good bug is a dead bug!
by Anthony Pace on Mar 31, 2011 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions
hughes says
breathing air is better than not
Jonny Bench called.
by Sterling Archer on Mar 29, 2011 7:40 PM EDT reply actions
Matt dodging the real question
Do bro hugs have to stop??
by Kid_Roll on Mar 29, 2011 7:43 PM EDT reply actions 6 recs
Mazzaggatti: “Hey where’s my hug????”
"I put da team on my back tho"
by Nightmare_wears_prada on Mar 29, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions 10 recs
Well, Hughes is right. If there was another good guy in the UFC that GSP hadn’t already beaten, he would’ve gotten the shot before Shields. Who gets a shot by barely scrapping by Kampmann? That only happens when there’s nobody else. Why isn’t Diego Sanchez talked about as the next contender? He just barely beat Kampmann too.
horrible matchup for Shields,so I gotta agree
while the difference between the two fighters might not be THAT big,I just cant see Shields winning this. This fight will look worse than GSP-Koscheck.
"Its not about the size of the dog in the fight...its about the size of the fight in the dog"
gsp v's kosh
this was an excellent fight – turned on a lot of my friends to the sport after dismissing it as red-neck brawling.
seeing skilled striking and cerebal fighting opened their eyes….
Macknight
-----------------
Correct me if I am wrong - I may learn something.....
agree. it doesn't an all-out brawl to be a good fight
more likely to see mad brawling at lower level promotions, if you like that then go support those! But don’t expect GSP to play the brawling game.
Not having a chance in hell of beating GSP takes nothing away from how much Shields deserves this title shot. Jon Fitch probably deserves another title shot but he doesn’t have a chance in hell either; nobody at welterweight really does.
It depends
Ultimately I must say that I would go with GSP as long as he keeps it standing, as Shields’ striking was only ever impressive on Bully Beatdown, but if Sheilds can get it to the mat it could be anyone’s fight. I highly doubt Sheilds’ ability to take GSP down, and after the Kampmann fight, his conditioning is questionable.
GSP will get this, no doubt in my mind, but not in an easy fight.
Let the fighters fight, let the referees ref, but dear God, don't let the judges judge.
by halitosis on Mar 29, 2011 7:48 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Never has something so true been said so obnoxiously
It is really tough for me to see how Shields gets GSP where he needs him to be in order to work his game. If Kos couldn’t get GSP down with any consistently, Shields is really going to struggle, and his standup is pretty weak cheese.
That doesn’t mean however, that Shields doesn’t deserve the shot, it just means that GSP is really good.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
I agree with Hughes’ assessment, and the tone of it really is a bit obnoxious. Hughes is right though in that there really isn’t anyone else for GSP to fight besides Shields. However, Shields is as good a challenger as a Fitch or Koscheck.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
I think he's better
(as a challenger anyway)
We already know what happens when GSP faces Fitch and Kos. We haven’t seen him beat the crap out of Jake yet, so it gives the UFC hype machine a chance to convince us that he really has a chance.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
by Dave Strummer on Mar 29, 2011 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Yea... if things go as I expect...
We’ll see some nice bloody/swollen faced pics of Jake on the web right after the fight
I’m glad that you have no illusions about what Shields offers GSP. Even when I hear from others that Shields is going to offer more of a challenge than any of his previous opponents, I just find it so hard to believe.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
by chrisbboy82 on Mar 30, 2011 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I'll tell you why he deserves a shot Matt
15 fight win streak, and belts in 2 other orgs…and the no one else thing you mentioned, after having no idea seconds before.
Who's the only one here who knows illegal ninja moves from the government?
"That dude was legit, ponytails are a sign of nobility." TheFilt™
Who else should GSP fight?
I can’t think of anyone except Anderson.
Faber, Florian, Diaz, 'Mayhem', Mousasi, Fedor
8 man tourney of fresh blood to determine next contender
Anthony Johnson, Ricky Story, Carlos Condit, Jake Ellenberger, Dong Hyun Kim, Mike Pierce, Johnny Hendricks, and 1 more (Lytle, Sanchez, Pyle, or Diaz vs. Mcdonald winner.) Not saying any of these guys necessarily has a chance to beat GSP, but it’d be a fun way to determine a contender we haven’t already seen him beat.
"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye
i like it...
But Dana has been waiting for sometime to show that UFC Champs will destroy champs from other organizations — so, maybe the tournament structure after this fight. I have a feeling will be seeing GSP vs. Silva.
Yeah… I’m looking past this fight. Can you imagine a scenario where Shields gets GSP on his back?
Faber, Florian, Diaz, 'Mayhem', Mousasi, Fedor
Can you imagine a scenario where Shields gets GSP on his back?
Not a realistic one, but I can imagine one where Shields creates a scramble, which is his one place to have a chance to win imo.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions
I want this fight to be competitive, but I don’t think it’s going to be. Shields deserves his shot, no doubt about it, but it’s a horrible matchup for him.
Host of Bloody Elbow Radio/Founder of Team Buh Bye
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by Matt Bishop on Mar 29, 2011 7:55 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
So so true.
Here are some stats by Shank the other day,
Here are the takedown attempts made on GSP in the UFC:
Koscheck II: 1/4
Hardy: 0/0
Alves: 0/0
Penn II: 0/1
Fitch: 0/6
Serra II: 0/0
Hughes III: 0/3
Koscheck I: 1/4
Serra: 0/0
Hughes II: 0/6
Penn I: 1/1
Sherk: 0/3
Trigg: 0/1
Miller: 1/6
Hughes I: 2/7
Hieron: 0/3
Karo: 0/2
I’ve highlighted the Hughes fights, and the Fitch fight. It’s clear those guys wanted to drag the fight to the floor, and could only do it 2 times out of a combined 22 times. Pretty impressive TDD.
And to the flip side, here are the takedown attempts GSP did to those same fighters:
Koscheck II: 4/9
Hardy: 11/11
Alves: 10/12
Penn II: 4/7
Fitch: 7/9
Serra II: 4/5
Hughes III: 3/3
Koscheck I: 2/2
Serra: 0/1
Hughes II: 1/1
Penn I: 4/5
Sherk: 3/4
Trigg: 1/1
Miller: 5/5
Hughes I: 1/1
Hieron: 0/1
Karo: 6/8
Overall: 66/85.
Is it possible GSP is both the best at taking his opponents down while being the best at not being taken down by his opponents? It seems likely just by looking at these numbers.
Jules: Normally, both your asses would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period so I don't wanna kill you, I wanna help you. But I can't give you this case, it don't belong to me. Besides, I've already been through too much shit this morning over this case to hand it over to your dumb ass.
by RJshock 305 on Mar 29, 2011 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions 10 recs
Wow
Just….wow. That’s incredible
by disinferno06 on Mar 29, 2011 9:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i also don't think those stats take into account the times GSP was able to get right back on his feet after being taken down
everything dana white says is a complete lie
by slantedwindows on Mar 29, 2011 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Cocaine is a hell of a drug...
" I have to really wonder why he got a title shot in the first place. But I’ll tell you why he got a title shot is, there’s no one else."
Reminds me of…
“…come on what am I going to do, just grind my feet up into someone’s couch? I got a little more sense then that…Yeah I remember grinding my feet into Eddies couch…”
by A K I R A on Mar 29, 2011 7:59 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 3 recs
FUCK YO COUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jules: Normally, both your asses would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period so I don't wanna kill you, I wanna help you. But I can't give you this case, it don't belong to me. Besides, I've already been through too much shit this morning over this case to hand it over to your dumb ass.
by RJshock 305 on Mar 29, 2011 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I have a ton of respect for Hughes and agree Shields is a major underdog, but to say he can’t understand why Shileds deserves the shot is mind blowing.
That is two fights in a row!
Kampman should have been more aggressive against Diego and Shields. He could have beat shields if he just didnt clinch him! I will never understand why he would decide to clinch SHIELDS! Against Diego he got into a brawl and after getting hit a few times he backed way off, and made it looke like Diego was winning because he was throwing more leather.
Jules: Normally, both your asses would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period so I don't wanna kill you, I wanna help you. But I can't give you this case, it don't belong to me. Besides, I've already been through too much shit this morning over this case to hand it over to your dumb ass.
You Go HUGHES!
I totally agree with Matt, I really do! Shields barely squeezed by Kampmann, and his last fight b4 that (Hendo) lost the first round and looked fatigued the rest of the fight! GSP hasnt lost a round since UFC 74. Also, I thought MayHem did pretty well and thought it was close too. So Matts right there is NO-ONE else. But the question is …. Why is Hughes even saying he doesnt deserve a title shot? He really does, I mean a 15 fight win streak etc. I just dont think he’ll be a threat to GSP, I JUST DONT KNOW WHY HUGHES IS SAYING HE DOESNT DESERVE A TITLE SHOT?
That's what you'd expect a bored has been to say.
I was always curious how long it would take for a guy like Hughes to fully embrace the ‘coulda been a contender’ mantra.
Faber, Florian, Diaz, 'Mayhem', Mousasi, Fedor
Hughes is just pissed that GSP said
Shields is gonna be his toughest opponent to date. Hughes is just butt-hurt cause he wants to be remembered as GSP’s toughest opponent ever. Someone needs to tell Matt that GSP says EVERY opponent, no matter who it is, is his toughest opponent to date.
Just Breed!
GSP vs Shields
I can’t believe their gonna let Shields get in the octogon with GSP!
Shields is going to be humiliated!!!
I just hope GSP torements him the first 4 rounds then knocks him out the 5th.
Rigghhhhtttt
Because GSP is a KO machine and Shields has a glass jaw. GSP will probably win this fight, but I’d go ahead and plan to spend 25 minutes watching it.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
by Dave Strummer on Mar 29, 2011 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I have a sad, sneaking suspicion that GSP will be on his bike the first couple of rounds, jabbing and basically running away to avoid engaging. Sort of like Anderson/Maia, sans the showboating.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Shields got no stand up, no power. Why would he be cautious? The takedowns? Nah, that’s not what GSP is worries about, it’s getting TKO’d again that keeps him from unleashing. You’ll see the difference against someone who doesn’t threaten on the feet.
Boys becoming men...Men becoming wolves
Unleashing isn't really part of GSP's gameplan anymore
I still enjoy his fights, but “Rush” is long gone. Shields is a dangerous opponent and GSP will treat him as such. If he can maintain distance and jab him to death while incurring minimum risk, that’s exactly what we should expect him to do.
Shields has been in against some much heavier hitters than GSP (Daley, Lawler, Hendo) and come out on top. I don’t think swinging for the fences is going to be anywhere in GSPs game plan.
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
by Dave Strummer on Mar 30, 2011 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
GSP wasn’t on his bike against Koscheck, who has very good power and somewhat decent striking; why would he be against Shields that has horrible standup and no power whatsoever? I see GSP power jabbing and doing combos all night long. I’m not sure he’ll try too many leg kicks, other than maybe at the end of combos. Those are risky against Shields as he’d likely use them to take it to the floor.
GSP wasn’t on his bike against Koscheck, who has very good power and somewhat decent striking; why would he be against Shields that has horrible standup and no power whatsoever? I see GSP power jabbing and doing combos all night long.
Despite his power, Kos was more of a threat on the ground than on the feet, and GSP always tries to play to his opponents weaknesses.
On his bike might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but he will definitely employ a speed and distance, refusal to engage plan imo.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
So, for you to be satisfied, you need a guy to fully engage into a brawl? What’s wrong with using your speed and maintaining distance using various techniques? It’d be one thing if GSP didn’t hurt his opponents and only did point fighting, like a Bisping often does, but GSP actually damages his opponents big time on the feet, as demonstrated by the bruised/busted faces of Fitch, Alves and recently Koscheck.
Reply fail perhaps?
Otherwise I have no idea why you directed this at me as I have said nothing remotely like that.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
On his bike might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but he will definitely employ a speed and distance, refusal to engage plan imo
You said that using speed and distance equals a refusal to engage, which you seem to say is something you don’t like. So, I asked you if you needed guys to fully engage in brawls for you to enjoy a fight.
Makes sense, but
No, not at all, I am simply pointing out what I think will be the obvious plan here. To me, its all about the W, so long as its within the rules, but I think there will be much bitching and whining after the fight around here…
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I know it’s MMA and anything can happen but on paper I sure have to agree with Hughes on this one. GSP has every advantage in this fight except for bjj. He’s quicker, more explosive, better stand-up, better wrestler, and a superior gas tank. I see Shields like a little leech in this fight trying to get a hold of GSP and hang on for dear life and try and drag him to the ground anyway he can. Only place he has a small chance of winning this fight. I would love to see GSP submit him!
by brac23 on Mar 30, 2011 4:50 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Stop bitching, this fight is gonna be epic, maybe not ‘entertaining’ but epic because both fighters haven’t lost in so long. Crybabies!
Shields always finds a way to win. Can’t wait for this fight.
i wish they would match gsp with someone
that could beat him or at least put fear in him
it seems he is always matched up with a fighter with at least one huge deficiency
the best fighter he has fought was bj penn and bj is just too small and out of shape for him
i guess id want to watch gsp fight bj penn when gsp isnt greased up … how he fucking got away with that … anderson silva put a little grese on his face and posters here never let it go
gsp bathes in it between rounds and its ok
I agree with Hughes
GSP is going to destroy Shields, well maybe not destroy, but he is going to handidly beat his ass. GSP is a nice humble guy outside the cage, but inside he puts on that determined and focused mug and he’s instantly on clobber mode. I just can’t see Shields doing anything to GSP. I’ll gladly and surprisingly eat crow if Shields comes out the victor, but I just don’t see it happening.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Mar 30, 2011 9:26 AM EDT reply actions
Well, what if Shields is able to drag it to the floor? I think Shields is the first guy in a long time to actually possess skills that could have GSP in danger. GSP has pretty much been better in all aspects of MMA than his previous 8-9 opponents, more technical striking, better MMA wrestling, better BJJ. The only exception was BJ Penn, but he was just too small to be able to do anything to GSP. I feel as though Shields has a clear path to victory, take it down and work for a sub. He’s bigger and probably stronger than GSP, and has a clear advantage in Jiu-jitsu. GSP will have to be incredibly cautious on the floor. It’s the GSP fight that’s got me the most interested in 4-5 fights, honestly.
Yeah he’s bigger, but I wouldn’t say that he’s stronger. I would also say that his bjj is a bit better than GSP’s as well, but I’m sure GSP can handle himself on the ground. I can, however, clearly see a scenario where Shields could have George up against the fence and pull guard catching him in a guillotine similar to how he caught Lawler. The only problem is that Robbie isn’t GSP and I’m quite sure that Greg and company have watched PLENTY of tape on Shields. I can see Jake trying to get GSP down, but can’t and pulling guard numerous times.
In my head the fight is either going to go like GSP/Josh 2, or Anderson/Leites. I just can’t picture any other scenario, but this is mma and surprises and upsets happen quite frequently, so we’ll see.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Mar 30, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Well Shields has fought successfully at MW, and handled a guy much bigger than GSP there with relative ease (Hendo). That’s why I’m thinking Shields is probably stronger than GSP is, although that logic might be trumpeted by the fact that this fight is at WW, and not at MW. Either way, Shields is likely stronger than all of GSP’s previous opponents, including Fitch and Alves.
And given GSP’s history, I honestly don’t see him dancing around à la Anderson vs Leites and Maia, and I don’t see Shields flopping to his back à la Leites, or butt scooching à la Aoki either. The more likely scenario is GSP/Josh 2 where GSP keeps him at distance and peppers him with power jabs. Then, when Shields is tired of it, he’ll charge in hoping to take it to the mat with GSP side-stepping the attempt, or tripping him down himself. And that’s where it could get dangerous for him. We’ll see. Can’t wait!!
Good points
especially about him being able to control Hendo at MW.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Mar 31, 2011 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I feel as though Shields has a clear path to victory, take it down and work for a sub. He’s bigger and probably stronger than GSP, and has a clear advantage in Jiu-jitsu. GSP will have to be incredibly cautious on the floor.
Shields is taller, but will be lighter in the cage and weaker than GSP. GSP fights at 192-195 at WW, Shields said a couple of weeks prior to the Mayhem fight that he was walking around at about 185, so unless he has added significant lean mass since then, that is about where he will be.
I agree Shields has better jits, but I really think GSP will be on his bike in this one, jabbing and keeping his distance, with only limited engagement, at least early on.
I am afraid this one will look like some blend of GSP/Kos 2, Anderson/Maia and Anderson/Leites.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Look at the recent picture of Shields in training, does he look like he’s walking around at 185? No freaking way.
And I honestly don’t see why people keep saying GSP will pull the dancing moves like Anderson did a few times. When’s the last time GSP danced around in the octogon??
I can’t speak for the others, but I am referring to the refusal to effectively engage rather than any sort of dancing or showboating.
Without knowing more details about Jake’s weight, lean mass/BF%, etc I can’t properly speculate on his weight, and certainly not from a post-workout pump picture.
Jake himself was the source for the previous information and I have no reason to disbelieve him.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Either way, can’t we agree that GSP won’t be at a major strength advantage over Shields? The last guy that could probably match GSP is raw strength was probably Fitch, and even then, that’s highly debatable.
And regarding the dancing/showboating thing, do you consider what GSP did against Koscheck a few months ago ‘refusing to effectively engage’? Because I don’t.
And regarding the dancing/showboating thing, do you consider what GSP did against Koscheck a few months ago ‘refusing to effectively engage’? Because I don’t.
Not really, because that fight was over as soon as Kos’ eye was swollen shut and he lost his depth perception. He also had less to fear from even a prime Kos on the ground than he does from Shields on the ground.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, his plan might’ve been to take it to the ground if Koscheck was able to be competitive on the feet, but when he realized that all he had to do was power jab Koscheck face into a bloody mess, he kept doing it instead of taking it down where Koscheck’s broken face might’ve been less of a problem for him. That’s what great MMA fighters do, they adapt as the fight goes along. And as I’m typing this, I’m realizing that I have a double standard because I appreciate what GSP did in modifying his gameplan as he went against Koscheck while I despised Rumble for what he did against Hardy. The only difference being what Rumble said before the fight, etc. But still.
I think both GSP and Rumble were smart and did exactly what they should have done, just like Rashad with Rampage. At the end of the day, it isall about the ‘W’…
“Exciting” stand-and-bang guys are entertaining to a point, but…
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Mar 30, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
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