FanPost

Criticizing the Wrestlers in MMA

I don't like Jon Fitches (23-3) style in the UFC, he is boring and doesn't take a lot of risks: He hasn't finished a fight since 2007. That being said he wins, he has limited standup and plays to his strenghts. Hopefully in the future he changes that and actually finishes a fight, after all he is a black belt and should try for more submissions. He needs to change if he ever wants to get another title shot. Most MMA websites have reported he refuses to fight Rick Story (13-3) because he's never held a world title. Story may be lower on the rankings but a FINISH might win him a few fans. In stead he's waiting for a rematch with BJ Penn or another title shot against GSP. Why not try Jake Shields, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champ? Might be a slow fight but the skill level on the ground might make it interesting. 

 

Georges "Rush" Saint Pierre (22-2) is another story all together: good all around fighter. He can stand up, has a great jab, which has really shown in his last two fights. He has spectacular MMA based wrestling and can control people and has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also, like Jon Fitch hasn't finished an opponent in a long time: 2009 when BJ Penn didn't continue between rounds. BJ Penn is a natural lightweght, it's likely for the fight that GSP had close to 20 lbs on him that night. GSP is one of the best in the world but among the fighters I least like to watch. I don't watch him to fight and see what happens, I watch to see him lose because of his lack of risk taking. I realize that people want to win as often as possible but like Fitch, you don't win fans by playing it safe. His October fight with Nick Diaz should be the test for him because in all honesty, many people including myself feel that Diaz can get the better of him as long as Diaz can prevent the Lay N Pray style that's common for GSP when he faces a good striker. Take a god damn risk Georges!

 

What prompted me to write this was the bashing that many people had for Clay Guida (29-11), a lightweight who faced Anthony Pettis last night. I haven't seen the fight yet but I've seen a lot of Guidas fights, and he's very rarely boring. I find his head movement rather distracting to be honest... out of his 40 professional fights he's been to a decision 13 times, winning 9 on them. He's won 15 by submission and 5 by KO/TKO. Last night was his first decision in 2 years, with his last 3 fights being won by submission. Two of which won Submission of the Night. Guida takes risks, he doen't have the best record but most people think he's an exciting and entertaining fighter. GSP and Fitch could learn a thing or two from Guida, I hope the bashing I've been seeing gets stamped out soon, but everyone on the internet knows better than a professional whos been fighting for 8+ years. 

 

There are many more wrestlers that use they're great ground control to grind out decisions, "Rumble" Johnson pulled it out recently. I think wrestling is one of the best bases to have to start a career in MMA, wish I had been able to in high school, but these great grapplers must be willing to take risks and finish the fight.

 

I'm new to the the game with only four amateur fights so this is just my uninformed opinion, but I've been watching MMA and the UFC for 9 years and this is a fans thoughts. Peace.

 

Who agrees? Who disagrees?

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