Struve up to 262 lbs.

GSP is the fastest, most deceptive and hardest to hit at WW. Does he score the most knockouts? Nope. Is he the best striker in the division? Yup.

Diaz is aggressive and as such will be hit by GSP. GSP drops Diaz with strikes before the reverse happens.

Won't even matter Nick will be taken down at will, I don't see him catching GSP in anything either.

In a pure striking affair, Diaz whoops GSP. I have little doubt of this.


But LA is right, GSP will shoot for takedowns early and often. And I imagine a large portion of this fight features Diaz off his back.


And that could throw Diaz's striking game off later in the fight. Perhaps GSP can control the standup later on. But imo, that does not mean that GSP has a better standup game, only that the fear of a GSP takedown takes his opponents out of their game(again this is your own argument).

Wolfgangsta wrote:

At HW in MMA some of those boxing rules bird is going by don't matter as much, but overall getting knocked out with regularity obviously isn't a great sign.

But the thing is, it's not with regularity. It happened twice, against JDS and Nelson, 2 of the harder hitting guys in the world

capt - GSP's standup is widely known as the best at WW. His wrestling success is tied into his speed and timing in the standup. No one short of guys like Silva and Machida sport wide can match his timing, deceptiveness and his speed. He is very difficult to hit. Diaz is a very very different kind of striker. He is a volume oriented boxer. Not a karate technician. In a straight standing only match, GSP probably still wins.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

capt - GSP's standup is widely known as the best at WW. His wrestling success is tied into his speed and timing in the standup. No one short of guys like Silva and Machida sport wide can match his timing, deceptiveness and his speed. He is very difficult to hit. Diaz is a very very different kind of striker. He is a volume oriented boxer. Not a karate technician. In a straight standing only match, GSP probably still wins.

GSP's standup is widely known as the best at WW? By who? GSP has the most complete game at WW, his standup helps setup takedowns and the threat of a takedown also takes away from his opponents striking defense.
But to imply that GSP has the best striking at WW hands down is just wrong. GSP has a wide variety of tools that keep his opponents off balance and improve his effectiveness. But I seriously doubt that if we had a WW standup only tourney that GSP would be the winner.

Who is a better striker at WW? Please if anyone seriously believes Thiago Alves or Paul Daley are better strikers I'll poop my pants. GSP is so much more quick and deceptive. GSP's feigns for his kicks, punches, and takedowns are all the same and it's near impossible to guess what he is throwing. His superman punches involve TWO fakes before the final strike. He can read and avoid what his opponents are throwing as good as anyone fighting and is top five MMA all time at that skill. GSP isn't just the best WW striker, he is one of the best MMA strikers - EVER.


Being a good striker =/= knockouts by the way.

Smoke another one Wolf man. I think it's obvious that his all around game and threat of the takedown contribute in a major way to his standup game. You really have a major hard on for GSP these days and continue to give him god status. GSP is an amazing fighter but damn son you ride that jock hard.
GSP is a true mixed martial artist. He isn't the best wrestler at WW but he sets up that takedown better then anyone. He isn't the best striker but he is probably the most effective striker because he is difficult to defend when the threat of the takedown is always there.

Where GSP is deficient in his striking is only in the way he throws combinations. He just doesn't throw many. But neither does Machida really. Neither does Cung Le. He jumps in and out. He also doesn't have a lot of thunderous power either and even if he did, he seldom comes in with knockout intent anymore.


But look at the stats. He lands 53% of what he throws and avoids almost 80%. Compare to Chuck Liddell and Thiago Alves who land in the 30s and avoid in the 60s for instance.

Who are the best WW strikers?

Not in order I'd say GSP, Alves, Hardy, Daley, Noons, Kampman, Penn, Condit, Cyborg, Zaromskis, Smith, Zavurov, Saffiedine, Magomedov...

I don't think GSP is really a dog in the striking department to any of them. He has landed the most significant strikes in the UFC in any division by over 150 on the next best, is top ten in striking accuracy, is tied for 7th in knockdowns, has landed the most total strikes in UFC history, and is top 5 all time in striking defense and significant strike defense. His foundation in the sport is in standup and I'm not sure his standup prowess is worthy of some of the criticism it receives.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Where GSP is deficient in his striking is only in the way he throws combinations. He just doesn't throw many. But neither does Machida really. Neither does Cung Le. He jumps in and out. He also doesn't have a lot of thunderous power either and even if he did, he seldom comes in with knockout intent anymore.


But look at the stats. He lands 53% of what he throws and avoids almost 80%. Compare to Chuck Liddell and Thiago Alves who land in the 30s and avoid in the 60s for instance.

Those stats can be easily explained by what I said earlier. It's easier to avoid shots because people try to keep distance vs GSP because of the threat of a take down. So GSP is able to keep range and avoid shots. That's not saying he doesn't also have good movement but I think the threat of the takedown is more of a factor in that stat.
On the other side people are always looking to avoid the takedown and that effects the way they are able to defend the standup. Strikers are never comfortable on the feet vs GSP because they are always thinking about that take down and it's obvious his opponents try not to over commit. Obviously GSP has good standup but I think you have to acknowledge the other factors.

His takedowns are so effective because they're part of his standup game.

Think on it OU, why was Alves so out of his game? Because he couldn't tell the punches, kicks and takedown attempts apart and he could do nothing without being countered. GSP's game is all connected.

More stats - JDS lands 47% and avoids 59%. Jose lands 50% and avoids 73%. GSP's stats are better than both of theirs. They're also superior to Penn's in both statlines. Machida lands slightly more but avoids less total strikes.

Stats back me up. Footage backs me up. Fight results back me up. GSP is one of the best strikers in MMA, ever. Good day.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

His takedowns are so effective because they're part of his standup game.

Think on it OU, why was Alves so out of his game? Because he couldn't tell the punches, kicks and takedown attempts apart and he could do nothing without being countered. GSP's game is all connected.

More stats - JDS lands 47% and avoids 59%. Jose lands 50% and avoids 73%. GSP's stats are better than both of theirs. They're also superior to Penn's in both statlines. Machida lands slightly more but avoids less total strikes.

Stats back me up. Footage backs me up. Fight results back me up. GSP is one of the best strikers in MMA, ever. Good day.

Exactly my point. GSP has an overall game and his standup helps his takedowns and his takedowns help his standup. GSP is a very effective fighter. But he isn't the best pure wrestler or the best pure striker in the division, just the best mix martial artist. Those stats are easily explained on what I have already said. Good day.

Who is faster at WW than GSP OU?

Ok no one, so answer me who has more knockdowns at WW than GSP? No one again. Ok so...


Who has better stats? No one? Fuck.

Who has out struck GSP? Damn...


Who has a more deceptive game? Nobody?

Who has better timing? No one?

Who has better defense at WW? Nobody again?

Shit looks like we're in agreement after all OU. Glad we could work this out.

no one would out strike GSP in pure striking though either OU and you know this. No one has the speed or timing and no one hides what they're doing like GSP.

So gsp doesn't have the best striking exclusively, but does have the best striking in mma?

Wolfgangsta wrote:

no one would out strike GSP in pure striking though either OU and you know this. No one has the speed or timing and no one hides what they're doing like GSP.

Damn son, riding that jock hard today. You seriously think GSP is the fastest and best pure striker in the division? Or do you just love the taste of his man juice that much? Is he paying you?

GDPofDRC wrote:

So gsp doesn't have the best striking exclusively, but does have the best striking in mma?

GSP has the most effective striking, just like his wrestling. But if we had a wrestling tournament between WW's in MMA GSP would not win. If we had a standup only tourney he would not win that either.

Have you seen this french wigger fight? Who the fuck is gonna hit him? Thiago Alves? Please.

The dude is Machida like. Yall would be agreeing with me too if all his knockdowns resulted in KO's. But they don't so the "OMG GSP IS SOOO BORING LEG HUMPER" narrative is polluting your view.

Name me a better pure striker? Say Diaz and you die. Diaz is predicated on a lot of dudes not wanting to take him down because they're rightly concerned with his dangerous-as-fuck guard. Enhances his stand up. Alves has power and knees and kicks but as a puncher he leaves a lot to be desired. Neither of these guys have the speed or movement of GSP and both telegraph what their throwing compared to GSP.

GSP knew what Alves was throwing before he did. Does that go away with boxing gloves on?

Even if I thought Diaz was a better striker I would never use him as an example due to my extreme bias on that subject. You let strikers go in there with no threat of being taken down and you watch the confidence sky rocket. If you really think GSP owns Alves in the same way he did without the treat of a takedown then your fandom is clearly effecting your judgement. I'm not saying Alves would win but it would not play out the same way and you know that. Without the threat of a takedown his effectiveness in the standup goes down, I think that is a pretty obvious statement.

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

So gsp doesn't have the best striking exclusively, but does have the best striking in mma?

GSP has the most effective striking, just like his wrestling. But if we had a wrestling tournament between WW's in MMA GSP would not win. If we had a standup only tourney he would not win that either.

He'd win lopsided decisions without KO's in a K-1 tourney ala Georgio Petrosyan against all WWs. The only ones who have a real chance are Daley, Hardy, Zaro and Alves but none of them are as good from distance or use kicks as well besides Zaro. In a K-1 tournament, Zaromskis would be his biggest threat in that regard. Daley is a boxer and so is hardy, and they'd never get close enough to GSP to be effective. They thrive in fist to fist exchanges. When Rogan said Daley was the best technical striker, he is slobbering on his punching technique when he throws hooks. He'd never even get close enough to land or hardly throw one against GSP in a K-1 match.

None of these guys have karate experience like GSP. This is the difference. There isn't many K-1 school fighters in this weight class. In a boxing match however GSP would have a much tougher time against the brit fighters or BJ Penn.

Askren would win a wrestling match but wrestling the sport is so different from what it means in MMA terms as an adjective to MMA fans that this would be expected. However GSP seems explosive enough to still do quite well.

GSP still has an Andy-Machida like advantage over others. Neither one of them strike based on their takedown threat and are just as effective. GSP's striking is rooted in the same type of skill and athleticism they have.

Again, GSP comes from a karate background. Most WW's don't have that or are raised in the British style of MMA boxing. Alves is just a version of the old Chutebox knees and punches wrecking ball that has been exploited by more technical strikers for years now.

Day time posting what up....

I'm obviously not going to get anywhere with your extreme fanhood oozing out with every post. But it was fun, I just completely disagree with your GSP breakdown.