- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
After more build up than you can throw a stick at, including an expletive laced conference call, the fight that has been almost two years in the making is finally here.
Georges St-Pierre (23-2-0) vs. Nick Diaz (27-8-1) – For the UFC welterweight championship
On Saturday evening in Montreal, Quebec, hometown hero Georges St Pierre will finally defend his welterweight title against Stockton, California’s own Nick Diaz.
Although this is his first fight in over a year due to suspension for Marijuana use, many see Diaz as Georges’ stiffest test yet.
It is widely acknowledged that Diaz has possibly the best boxing and one of the best submission games in the welterweight division.
Diaz has a seemingly infinite motor and will be looking to set a pace that the champion can’t keep. He will try and utilise his pitter -patter style of boxing to tire out Georges and either knock him out or finish him on the ground.
There is only one problem with this – it is very hard to box someone from your back – which, as anyone who has watched any St-Pierre fight in the last few years knows, is where Nick Diaz will almost certainly be finding himself.
The champion has the highest takedown accuracy in the history of the UFC with a 78.1% success rate, a feat made even more impressive by the fact he did not wrestle in high school or college.
Much has been made of Diaz’s ability to submit opponents from his back and the Californian does have a very active guard, however Georges is also a BJJ black belt and is surely too well versed to fall to Diaz here.
Diaz is a polarising figure in the sport of MMA and he will look to exhibit his usual trash talking, baiting style against the champion but I find it hard to believe someone as experienced as ‘GSP’ will fall for it.
If Diaz is to have a chance it is in the later rounds where he may be able to utilise his world class cardio and take the champ into deep waters.
However, I see this one going the same way many do, with GSP being too strong and athletic for Diaz and retaining his belt via decision at the end of five rounds
Carlos ‘the natural born killer’ Condit (28-6-0) versus Johny ‘Big rig’ Hendricks (14-1-0)
A fight that has almost been lost in the hype of the Main Event of the night – Jacksons MMA representative and former Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit take on the man who many believe should be fighting for the belt instead of Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks.
The man they call ‘bigg rigg’ has run a tear through the 170lb decision, and is currently on a five fight win streak that has include first round knockout’s of TJ Waldburger, Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann.
The Texan has an ever growing fan-base due to his incredible knockout power however he is also a four time Division 1 All American wrestler and a two time national champion. He mainly uses his wrestling to keep it standing, however this may not be the case against his next opponent.
Carlos Condit is one of the toughest 170lb fighters on the planet – his career is a highlight reel of Knockout wins due to his fantastic kickboxing and he is coming off the biggest fight of his career which saw him almost TKO the champion in the third round of a title fight that he went on to lose via decision.
Condit is a veteran who has more than double the professional fight experience of Hendricks. I believe this will be a war of attrition on the floor, with both fighters not wanting to stand with the others power.
If it stays standing it may well be a case of whom connects first but I can see Condit being too agile for Hendricks and using his superior reach and movement to win via decision.
Nate ‘The Great’ Marquadt (35-11-2) versus Jake ‘The Juggernaut’ Ellenberger (28-6-0)
This match-up sees a clash of two guys who bring the fire.
Nate Marquadt is coming off a decision loss that saw him lost the Strikeforce welterweight title against Tarec Saffedine but this will only serve to motivate the volatile all-rounder in his second stint with the UFC.
Standing in the way of a triumphant return to the organisation is Jake Ellenberger, a Division 2 collegiate wrestler and former US marine. Ellenberger is known for his heavy hands and solid chin.
The combined force of these two all-rounders could well result in ‘the fight of the night’, both men have been involved in wars before in the cage and I see this one going no differently.
I expect this to be a brawl and if Ellenberger can absorb Nate’s kicking game he should be able to impose his raw power and I see him winning this fight by by KO or TKO in the second round.
Nick ‘The Promise’ Ring (13-1-0) versus Chris Carmozzi (18-5-0)
This should be a technical fight with both men stylistically preferring to stand and pick their opponents apart.
Both men have decent striking skills however but while the Canadian Ring is more of a traditional boxer, Carmozzi is a muay thai based fighter.
I see this being a war of attrition on the feet as while both man have decent ground games, with each fighter owning six wins via submission, they are much more likely to stand and trade.
Ring was impressive in his performance against James Head however I see Carmozzi using his very technique driven form of muay thai to assert strategic dominance over Ring in the first two rounds before opening up and knocking the Canadian out in the final round.
Colin ‘The Freak Show’ Fletcher (9-2-0) versus Mike Ricci (8-3-0)
The opening fight on the main card sees a meeting of the runners up from TUF smashes and TUF 16.
Fletcher a native of Sunderland, England is a rangy and aggressive fighter and standing at six feet two inches he possesses a very impressive reach for a light weight fighter.
The Englishman will be looking to use his unorthodox mixture of knees and elbows that he showcase on ‘The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes’ which saw him become a fan favourite.
Fletcher, who dresses like a clown everywhere he goes could not be more different from his clean cut, suave opponent, home town boy Mike Ricci.
Ricci trains at Tri-Star gym with GSP and Rory Macdonald and has a lot of hype behind him after winning knockout of the TUF 16 season with two vicious elbows on Neil Magney.
Both of these fighters will be looking to stand and trade and I see Fletcher’s unpredictability being a handful for Ricci early on however the Canadian thoroughbred should weather the storm to win via decision.
Let’s get ready to rumble! Pick a fighter and place your bets with PlayUp for great odds. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.