GSP pounds Shields
If you are looking to walk away from Saturday night’s UFC 129 event with anything concrete, let it be this: George St. Pierre is good … really good.
St. Pierre, although bloodied up by his title challenger Jake Shields, outperformed him, and did it standing up. I don’t know if that means GSP was trying to prove something, or if Shields was trying to prove something; either way, it seems like going to the ground early and often would have been in Shields’ best interest. As for GSP, he has proved time and time again that he can pretty much man handle, outlast, take a punch, and flat out beat down most of the other fighters he has stepped in the octagon with.
Shields did however prove a few points himself, GSP is not unbeatable, (he took him through few woozy moments), he bleeds, and he himself is still a very good fighter. In fact, he ended the champs 30-round winning streak. That’s right, a judge finally scored one round against GSP, but a unanimous decision in favor of GSP, and the relentlessness of his attack during the fight left little doubt in anybody’s mind who the better fighter is. And so Shields’ 15-fight win streak comes crashing down.
Not such a fond farewell for Couture
The 205-pounders were old, but one looked a lot older … and it wasn’t Lyota Machita.
The Dragon thrust himself back into the UFC spotlight by sending 47-year-old Randy Couture, who some would call the god father of UFC, away from his last fight probably not remembering much of it. That’s what a kick to the dome will do to you.
Sure its sad, but that’s how it goes, Machita looked downright dominant during moments of the fight, and when he landed the mind boggling kick to Couture’s chin, he didn’t look surprised; he never has. Always shuffling around until someone gets lazy and drops their elbows then, Thwack … his opponent is on the ground.
Who really knows if Couture will fight again though, you know Dana White would like to throw some kid in the cage for him to beat on, and cash in on it … I hope it doesn’t come to that.
For people who know anything about UFC, they know not to judge Couture’s legacy off of his fight with Machita, or his last couple. Frankly, they have been boring, kind of like watching a near 50-year-old man waddle around a mat and over power people with his shear size and incredible wrestling ability. It was a good tactic for the old king, but his time is up.
Results
Facebook Prelim Fights:
Pablo Garza def. Yves Jabouin via Submission (flying triangle choke) in Round 1.
-Claude Patrick def. Daniel Roberts via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
-John Makdessi def. Kyle Watson via KO (spinning back-fist) in Round 3.
-Ivan Menjivar def. Charlie Valencia via KO (elbow) in Round 1.
-Jason MacDonald def. Ryan Jensen via Submission (triangle choke) in Round 1.
Spike TV Prelim Fights:
-Jake Ellenberger def. Sean Pierson via TKO (strikes) in Round 1.
-Rory MacDonald def. Nate Diaz via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
Pay-Per View Fights:
-Ben Henderson def. Mark Bocek via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
-Vladimir Matyushenko def. Jason Brilz via KO (strikes) in Round 1.
-Lyoto Machida def. Randy Couture via KO (flying front-kick) in Round 2.
-Jose Aldo def. Mark Hominick via Unanimous Decision after 5 Rounds to retain the UFC Featherweight Title.
-Georges St-Pierre def. Jake Shields via Unanimous Decision after 5 Rounds to retain the UFC Welterweight Title.