Josh Koscheck Issues GSP A Warning
“This time it is everything. This is going to be it man. This is my run to the title and I’m going to get it. I’m close. I’ve got to be focused. I’ve got to train and I’m coming out of this fight with a victory. I think the city of Pittsburgh needs something like that. I’m from the area and it would be great to come home and have the support of all of my fans that have been backing me all the way since I was in college wrestling all the way up to now fighting for the title… Pittsburgh would be a great, great city to have the UFC. Bringing the UFC to Pittsburgh would be awesome, but regardless where it is, it’s going to be a great event, and me and St. Pierre are going to put on a good show. Georges, you better work on your power, because I’m going to force you to stand up with me when we fight, and I’m going to knock you out.”
In an interview with MMA Weekly Josh Koscheck told of his plans to knock current champion Georges St. Pierre out. Koscheck plans to keep the fight standing which has proven a difficult challenge for the many that have gone before him. Koscheck does have some fairly good wrestling though so his chances of keeping the fight on the feet will be higher than probably any other welterweight challenger. Is Koschecks take-down defense enough though?
GSP’s New Under Armour Commercial
Dan Hardy Gives his Harsh Opinion on AKA Fighters
Hardy is just under four weeks away from challenging Canadian Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title and he is making sure his critics know how he feels. Through his blog on ThisIsNottingham.com Hardy lashes out at those who have criticized him in the past.
“I’ve beaten everyone the UFC has put in front of me; I’ve never turned down a fight and I am not about to now. I would have been happy having a couple more fights before getting my shot, but I was offered a spot as a late replacement against Mike Swick in a final eliminator in November, accepted, and beat him up. It’s funny Swick is now moaning that I didn’t deserve this shot. Swick should have kept his mind off me and on his last opponent, Paulo Thiago, and maybe he wouldn’t have been beaten again…. I’ve won four UFC bouts to get here, not-so-great Nate had three, none of which were against world-beaters. I am very amused Josh Koscheck is still bitching his lungs out that he deserves a title shot, not me. British fans will know Koscheck as the Fraggle-haired guy who got sparked out in one round in London a year ago, only to take his loss out on an innocent chair backstage, scoring a split decision points win over the unsuspecting piece of furniture. If you’ve forgotten that fight (and if you blinked, you’d have missed it) you’ll see something very similar in May when Paul Daley knocks him out. Koscheck says I have beaten nobodies but my latest win was over his supposed friend and teammate in Swick. How loyal. That’s why Jon Fitch isn’t improving, why Koscheck has so many one-sided losses on his record and why Swick will never fight for a title. They aren’t really a team, they don’t have each others’ best interests at heart and clearly there’s a lack of respect in that gym.”
My opinion on the three fighters is kind of similar to Hardy’s. Then again I am a Dan Hardy fan so I guess it kind of would be:
Josh Koscheck - I think that Koscheck will get beat at UFC 113 when he faces Paul Daley. Koscheck just seems to be too focused on what will happen after Daley and looking past a fighter can never be good.
Mike Swick – I really thought he would beat Thiago but it turns out that Swick isn’t really as good as once believed. Like Hardy says, “Swick will never fight for a title.”
Jon Fitch – Fitch’s lack of finishing ability is astounding. I think he will probably end up with another title shot at some point but I don’t feel he deserves it like he constantly claims he does.
In Depth UFC 111 Preview – St. Pierre vs Hardy
Big Name UFC Stars to Get Branded UFC Gyms
Dana White in the above video mentions that fighters such as Chuck Liddell, GSP and BJ Penn will be getting their own branded gyms to help support them financially once they are done fighting.
Daily Fix: January 18th
Not much to report on in this second installment of the “Daily Fix.” The article today features GSP and the WEC.
GSP
GSP did an interview with Ariel Helwani yesterday where they got to talking about GSP moving up to middleweight. Here is the video:
WEC 47
A few fights were confirmed today to be taking place at WEC 47 on March 6th, in Columbus, Ohio. Former bantamweight champion, Miguel Torres, will be looking to rebound from his title fight loss to Brian Bowles when he takes on Joseph Benavidez. Jens Pulver was also added to the card, he will be taking on Javier Vazquez. This card will be broadcast on Versus live March 6th.
Things Worth Checking Out
James Toney believes Dana White’s first offer was a joke
AKA insists Herschel Walker is ready for debut
Diego Sanchez considering return to welterweight
“This Week in Quotes” from Bloody Elbow
UFC 100: Georges St. Pierre is ready for Thiago Alves
UFC 100 Predictions and Preview
UFC 100 predictions
By Jim Kammer
Lines as of 6.25.2009 form Bodog.com
All the lines are at Bodog!
Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir
Line Brock (-250)
Brock is the fan favorite choice and in the betting lines too. He is bigger, stronger and faster, than almost every heavyweight in the world and has an aurora of greatness around him. Brock has a superior pedigree of wrestling and is gifted with freakish talent.
Brock Lesnar is not going to win.
Since the win over Brock, every day Frank Mir is closer to becoming the fighter he was before the motorcycle accident. You see it in his eyes. You see it in his demeanor. Mir’s confidence and swagger are closer to an all time high. He is arguably the most dangerous submission man in the heavyweight division. In three fights in the UFC, Brock Lesnar has faced one submission attempt and tapped – and that was Frank Mir’s knee bar- one of the easiest submissions to defend against.
Mir’s standup looked very much improved over Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. This was the only stoppage of Nog’s career. The fact of Nog’s staph infection and knee issues were a huge factor are understood. But Mir looked good- real good. That was not the fighter that lost to Brandon Vera- this was the fighter that broke Tim Sylvia’s arm.
To me, Brock has not shown great endurance in his fights. In his last one, you have to wonder how much longer he could have gone. Grant it, he was throwing bombs against Couture- but Couture is 46 years old! Lesnar’s two wins in the octagon have come against a striker with a 3-4-1 record in his last 8, and a wrestler with a 4-4 record in his last 8. Looking back on Couture’s wins now, they are not as impressive as they initially seemed.
The questions for the fight are:
- Is Mir’s knee ok? I am assuming that it is, it’s a whole other game if its not. If that knee isn’t 100% and he cannot lock submissions, he may be in for a long (or short) night.
- Does Brock catch Mir early or does Lesnar run out of gas and make a mistake and Mir capitalize on it?
I believe that Brock caught Mir in the first fight –and he was unlucky with the horrible stoppages by referee Steve Mazzagatti. That is not going to happen again; Mir is a submission specialist with an improved striking game and is ready for Lesner and ready for a decent run as UFC heavyweight champion.
Prediction- Mir wins in round 3 by submission.
Georges St Pierre vs. Thiago Alves
Line- St Pierre (-325)
How good is GSP?! If you look at his record and a list of his opponents, it’s a who’s who of the welterweight division- it is just amazing. He is the complete package. He can and will dominate the fight- almost any fight- from start to finish. The ONLY way GSP loses is when he beats himself. For some reason he used to let his head get into the fight, either not confident enough (Hughes) or over confident (Serra). When he is ready and prepared he wins, period. GSP is not taking Alves lightly. Alves is a tough fighter with that one punch knockout ability. He is riding a 7 fight win streak with his last loss to Jon Fitch back in June 2006. Alves has improved since that loss, but so has Fitch and GSP handled Fitch.
I do not think that there is really too much to analyze here- GSP is a better striker and grappler, but does not have the greatest chin. If Alves connects this fight could be over at any time. I do not see GSP giving that chance and dominates the fight from the beginning – both standing and on the ground for all five rounds.
Prediction- GSP wins by unanimous decision
UFC 100 Teleconference: GSP and Alves
Here is the first of many upcoming press conferences for the big 100. The main topic throughout the interview is size and whether it will be to one fighters advantage or not. Thanks to CageWriter for the video.