Could an upset
be brewing?
Las Vegas, Nevada – In July, at UFC 162, Chris Weidman scored one of the biggest
upsets of all time when he knocked out Anderson Silva to win the UFC
middleweight championship. Fans Octagonside at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in
Las Vegas were stunned when a Weidman left hook laid out “The Spider” in the
second round. But not everyone was surprised by the result. Now, some of the sport’s
best athletes are predicting another long championship reign to end when
welterweight king Georges St-Pierre collides with No.1 contender Johny
Hendricks this Saturday.
The fight is the most eagerly-anticipated UFC welterweight title
fight in years, with Las Vegas oddsmakers giving the Ada, Oklahoma-born
Hendricks the best shot to take the title away from “GSP” in years. The No.1
ranked challenger is currently listed as +205 (or a little over 2-1) to snatch
the title away, the narrowest odds offered on any GSP opponent since BJ Penn
challenged the Canadian half a decade ago at UFC 94.
UFC president Dana White said: “Just like when Chris Weidman was
challenging Anderson Silva, everywhere I go, I’ve got fighters telling me that
they think the upset is happening in this fight. All the pros think Johny
Hendricks is the biggest challenge that GSP has faced in his entire UFC career.
Almost every fighter I’ve spoken to and every fighter we’ve interviewed thinks
Hendricks is going to shock the world.”
Here, some of the biggest names in the UFC weigh in on what could
be the upset of the year.
Carlos Condit (No.2 ranked
welterweight contender, former interim UFC
welterweight champion; has fought both St-Pierre and Hendricks)
“If I were a betting man, I’d take Johny Hendricks for the upset.
You have to give Johny a huge chance in this fight. I’m most excited to see how
their wrestling matches up. If Johny can stop the takedown, like a lot of
people think he will, it is going to be very interesting.”
“Johny is by far the biggest threat to GSP’s title, that’s
obvious. Hendricks could be the guy to end GSP’s reign, we all get that. What’s
getting missed here is the bigger story: If GSP wins this fight, he is the
greatest fighter in the history of the UFC, the number one guy of the UFC’s
first two decades. Hendricks will be the UFC champion in the future – I think we
can all agree on that – so if GSP can beat him now he will not only be the
greatest fighter of his era, but also of the Hendricks era. Every win Hendricks
gets after losing to GSP would be a win for GSP, too. So this is an even bigger
stakes match than people realize. I think GSP will show up in the form of his
life – but I also think Hendricks wins this.”
“I think Johny Hendricks is the better fighter across the board.
Better wrestler, better striker, takes a shot better – everything. But I think
GSP, he’s just a freak, he will find a game plan to win on points. I really
think that Hendricks should win this fight, but I won’t bet against GSP.”
“It’s going to be a tense first round for sure. I think whoever
imposes their will and can get the ball rolling early will take it. Cardio is
going to be the key and you know Georges will be ready to go the full five.
Hendricks needs to come in shape and, if he does, he’s got a great chance to
take the title.”
“Johny has been taking out a lot of tough guys, knocking guys out,
so he has a huge puncher’s chance. Koscheck had a great right hand and a
puncher’s chance against GSP, but nothing like this guy. GSP does fight safe,
so the opportunities for Hendricks to land the shot are going to be few and far
between, but he will get the chance and he has to be ready to take it. That’s
what I did.”
“The upset can happen. We all know GSP is the best problem-solver
in the sport, but he’s got a hell of a problem in this fight. Johny Hendricks
presents a different kind of danger than anyone else Georges has ever fought.
GSP has beaten fighters with good power before, but Hendricks, to my mind, is
the hardest single-shot puncher in the division. Johny Hendricks needs to hit
you once, and that’s it. GSP has beaten great wrestlers – before, but no one
anywhere near as decorated as Hendricks. Even if Johny’s wrestling enables him
to stay standing for 10 minutes out of the scheduled 25, that’s still a hell of
a long time for him to land one shot.”
“I definitely believe Hendricks has a chance to beat GSP. He’s a
hard hitter with excellent wrestling skills, so anything can happen.”
“I think Johny is gonna get this. GSP is super athletic, a great
champion, but Johny’s wrestling and power gives him the advantage. GSP doesn’t
have the best chin in the world, and actually I think he can’t take a shot even
as well as he did a few years ago. I can see a second-round KO.”
“Georges is the all-round better fighter, but I think Johny is
winning this fight. I think the years of being champion, fighting the best of
the best, fight after fight, year after year, have taken a toll on GSP. His
chin isn’t what it was and I think Johny’s takedown defense is so good that he
will spend enough time on his feet to land the knockout shot. Johny is happy to
take a few to land one, and I think that will happen. Carlos Condit did a lot
of damage to Georges in their fight, and if Johny catches him like that it is
over.”
“GSP knows how not to lose fights, and I can see him not losing
the fight. But, I have this feeling that Johny Hendricks is so wild, so
unpredictable, that he will catch GSP. Hendricks is like a wind-up doll with a
chainsaw and I don’t know how you can prepare for that. GSP will have had a
hard time preparing for this style. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Hendricks
wins the title.”
“I’m going with Hendricks to put him to sleep in one round with a
left hook. Hendricks has the capabilities of stopping GSP’s takedowns and,
quite honestly, it is going to be a murder on the feet. Hendricks hits too hard
and he can take a hell of a shot himself. Hendricks’ left hook is the most
dangerous weapon in the entire welterweight division, and it will win him the
UFC championship on November 16. Also, I’m just not sure if GSP really wants to
do this anymore. He is the best welterweight of all time, perhaps the best UFC
fighter of all time, period.”
“If I had to bet a lot of money on it, I’d go with GSP on points,
but I think Johny has a real good chance because GSP doesn’t like getting hit.
I’m excited to see two things happen in this fight. First, I want to see how
GSP reacts to getting hit by someone who hits like Hendricks. Second, I’m
really interested in how Hendricks deals with getting put on his back.
Hendricks is a four-time NCAA Division I wrestling All-American, he’s not used
to getting taken down, but it will happen fighting Georges. It will happen in
the first round. If Johny can mentally deal with that, keep cool, get up and
throw, he can win this fight.”
“I really think Hendricks has the tools to get his hand raised.
He’s obviously got the wrestling, and along with the wrestling he’s got that
big left hand. I don’t think Georges’ jab is going to be as effective against a
southpaw, and he’s always going to know that when he’s close enough to throw
that jab, Johny’s gonna be close enough to land that left. So I think that may
play into Georges’ mind just a little bit and I think mentally Georges has some
obstacles because he doesn’t like to get hit.”
“I’m going with Johny. He’s got the wrestling, the power and the
more I hear from him, he just sounds confident, like he knows he’s got this.
I’m calling the upset.”
“I was able to work with Johny in the past and no one performs
better when the lights are brightest. I pick Hendricks.”
“Johny Hendricks is a way better wrestler than GSP, Johny
Hendricks has way, way more power than GSP, and Johny Hendricks has a far, far,
far better chin than GSP. Clearly, Johny Hendricks doesn’t stand a chance of
pulling off the upset against GSP...”
“I think Hendricks is really going to make GSP fight. GSP is a
great, great fighter. And he really can fight, but he prefers not to and to think
his way to victory. Johny won’t allow that to happen. I will say I thought all
this before the last fight GSP fought Josh Koscheck, but I think the pace Johny
fights at, how hard he hits with each shot, and how much he seems to want this
makes this the most interesting GSP fight in years.”
“My money is on the upset. GSP is the
greatest ever, but Hendricks is the most dangerous opponent GSP has faced in
years. Hendricks has the best wrestling credentials in the UFC on paper, and
has that one-punch KO power. GSP has the advantage over five rounds, but I see
Hendricks finishing the fight early.”
“I’d definitely give Hendricks a shot
against GSP - he's a great wrestler with powerful striking. I’m really looking
forward to seeing this fight.”
“GSP is the better fighter, overall, but
Johny is the biggest puncher, pound-for-pound, in the sport. Maybe it is
because we have the same nutritionist, Mike Dolce, but I think Johny wins the
belt by knockout in the second round. Johny is going to get taken down, right
away, but if Johny keeps calm, keeps going for the knockout and doesn’t get
frustrated, he will land that shot.”
“I hate to go against my wrestling brother Johny Hendricks, but I
think GSP might get him. Hendricks is definitely a tough nut to crack for him,
but I think in a five-round fight, those fourth and fifth rounds could be a
problem for Johny. Georges is always in shape and he’s fought five rounds a
bunch of times, so I’ve got to go with the champ on this one.”
“For this fight I would tell Hendricks to
go out and take the fight to Georges, don't wait for him, be first to do
everything. I definitely think Hendricks can defeat Georges. He has scary
power; he just has to make sure he uses it early in the fight.”
“If I was a betting man I’d put my money
on Hendricks. He has the finishing power that we’ve seen has caught GSP out
before when he fought Matt Serra. We could be in for another Matt Serra upset.
When it comes to tactics, GSP is the best he studies his opponents in so much
detail. If Hendricks can keep unpredictable then he could outsmart GSP. My
prediction would be GSP decision or Hendricks KO.”
UFC® 167: ST-PIERRE vs. HENDRICKS takes place Saturday,
November 16, live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event will air
live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND,
DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications,
Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada. UFC 167 will also be shown live in select
Fathom Events theaters across the U.S. Tickets are available at participating
theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.
For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live
and subject to change.
About
the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events
that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe,
the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA)
organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto,
Beijing and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 35 live
events annually. The UFC is the largest pay-per-view event provider in
the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the
mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media
Group for live events and thousands of hours of programming including the
longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®,
moving to FOX Sports 1 in September 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment