By: Mike Coughlin
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For the week of 02/26/2006
"Georges St. Pierre v. B.J. Penn, everything I've ever wanted in a fight"
Fights like Georges St. Pierre v. B.J. Penn don't happen all that often. This isn't Liddell v. Ortiz, where the build to the fight is perhaps more interesting than the payoff. And this isn't Liddell v. Couture, where the title of, "best fighter in the world at this weight" is on the line; Penn and St. Pierre are fighting for a chance to (presumably) fight for a title at on a latter date. This is simply two of the most amazing and dynamic fighters in the world, both in their prime, squaring off.
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But the fight fan in me, the chap who fell in love with MMA to the point of putting on a pair of gloves and getting his hide handed to him in the cage, the guy who loves nothing more than to watch hours upon hours of fights, is drooling in anticipation like a dog who just saw a piece of Kobe beef drop off the kitchen table.
I'm not going to analyze this fight like I would normally. Both men are awesome at basically every aspect of the fight game. If you had to pick a difference it would be that St. Pierre is more athletic and crisper with his strikes, while Penn is better on the ground. But looking at these two from a traditional analytical point of view misses the big picture: "The Prodigy" and "Rush" are awe-inspiring in the way they fight.
Trying to pick a winner is fruitless. Dave Meltzer wrote in the Wrestling Observer that every fighter he'd spoken to, with no exception, was picking Penn. I've seen opinions from fans and other industry professionals that agree and disagree that Penn will win. St. Pierre opened on the betting lines as a favorite, but that gap was quickly narrowed when heavy money came in favor of Penn. Sportsbet.com lists Penn as a slight underdog. But, Maxfighting.com's Sean McClure, on February 21, reported that Penn was a slight favorite. In other words, it's really close!
It's a touch ironic that Matt Hughes, once one of the UFC's poorer drawing champions, is partly responsible for both men achieving fame. It was St. Pierre's performance against Hughes at UFC 50, where Matt beat the Canadian with one second remaining in the first round, a round which was competitive, that notched him a great number of new fans. And it was Penn's thorough deconstruction of the Illinois native at UFC 46 that won over the hearts of everyone. This isn't to say that neither was popular before Hughes, just that they both saw their stock considerably rise after facing the champion.
UFC 58 is not the greatest card the UFC has put together, as it lacks that one mainstream marquee match. Rich Franklin is quickly becoming a star, but David Loiseau isn't all that well known. Diego Sanchez was scheduled for the card, but a last minute illness looks like it may keep him away. Yes, St. Pierre v. Penn is a dream for internet fans (ie: most everyone reading this), but to the general public I think this is the show they'll skip, particularly with Ortiz v. Griffin and Hughes v. Gracie on the horizon.
If you're one of those people, please reconsider. I don't think I've ever campaigned for people to watch a PPV. I like to provide a little background, and hopefully some insight, into a show and if people are intrigued, great! If not, so be it. But I'm hoping people buy this show. I don' have an incentive here; Zuffa isn't paying me or anything, and I lose no sleep if a PPV does 100K buys as opposed to 200K. I just don't want anyone to miss this show - specifically this fight. This fight could be special the way Ali/Frazier was special. I cannot fathom this bout being a bad, and it's far more likely that it will be incredible. You can never predict a fight of the year, try as one might, but I've got a . feeling about this one.
Neither man is going to come into this fight out of shape. St. Pierre is always in shape, with a physique that is carved out of stone. For his part, B.J. Penn was reportedly unyielding about wanting to fight St. Pierre and only St. Pierre, almost to the point of obsession. He stubbornly refused to fight anyone else, which is probably why the UFC made this match in the first place. Penn is focused on only St. Pierre, and hearing that B.J. Penn is after you should be enough to worry most any fighter. except for St. Pierre. After all, this is the same guy who beat Frank Trigg and Sean Sherk with such ease that one wonders if St. Pierre is even human. Fighters like Trigg and Sherk just don't get dominated in every single area of the fight game like that. Then again, Matt Hughes was never supposed to be dominated either, but Penn did just that.
There isn't a top welterweight around that Penn and St. Pierre haven't eliminated from competition - except for each other. They've got a history of running over people and I'm sure they'll try their hardest to do so to one another on Saturday. Anything can happen in this fight: there is no blueprint. Penn could just as easily knock St. Pierre out as St. Pierre could ground and pound a victory. They are such well-rounded individuals, lacking a weakness and strength, that this is the culmination of the stylistic progression of MMA. This is what the sport has always trumpeted; the future of fighting was men who could excel no matter where the fight takes place. This isn't an average striker with good grappling skills versus an average grappler with good striking; this is two men who do everything.
So, please, buy this show. Make sure you're watching live, without the distraction of knowing the outcome from a spoiler, when these two fight. They'll collide like Greek gods, meeting one another head on and refusing to bow to the others will. Achilles and Hektor fought once, but it was only recorded in word and is now lore. This is the modern equivalent of that. But instead of Paris watching in the distance, it will be Matt Hughes, polishing his gold belt, waiting for the winner to emerge so that any questions surrounding his welterweight title can be answered.
Accuse me of hyperbole if you wish, say that I'm exaggerating as a madman would, I care not. This is one of the great fights in history.
PS: Shout out to Alan4L from the forum because, well, I said I would!
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