Finally we'll see the MW division back to where it should be. I think Bisping gets more hate than deserved, he was long overdue a title shot and beat a prime ATG with only two week notice. He was a deserving champion. The only issue I have is he did the face any deserving contenders. What this meant is Romero and Jacare never got the title shot they deserved and nor did the Reaper. GSP is on a position now where he has to **** or get off the pot and it looks he's going the whole hog. Hopefully we see Romero vs Jacare in a title eliminator and I'd actually be keen on a Weidman vs Rockhold rematch as well.
THIS is what will happen - GSP will give up the 185 lb title (imo he was never going to defend it against a top contender he just jumped on a very very weak middle champ in Bisping to get his 2 weight title-check) and go down to fight Woodley for the 170 lb belt. Whittaker v Rockhold in Perth February for the undisputed 185 lb title. I will be amazed if this scenario does not happen.
Never wanted anything to do with middleweight until Bisping was the champ. Just watch him vacate that belt now and return to 170. Never wanted anything to do with Silva years ago which would have easily been the biggest mma fight in history. GSP is certainly a great great fighter but he definately could have challenged himself more imo, thats obvious.
For now it looks as if he won't vacate the title as he’s fighting Whittaker next apparently. Either way nobody can blame him if he vacates and goes back down to 170. He was retired for 4 freaking years, most including myself expected him to be shot to pieces and for this fight to be a complete mismatch but he looked great. Bisping might not have been the strongest champion but he won his title legitimately vs the number 1 rated fighter in the division. Silva couldn’t manage to get a victory against him. Who did Georges ever duck? Back In 09 when Georges was the UFC cash cow and Silva was fighting 2nd raters doing terrible ratings, Georges and his coach Firas Zahabi entertained the possibility of a 177 pound catchweight with Silva. Silva and his team poured cold water on the possible matchup saying he was “too big”. They wanted no part of that fight just like they also wanted zero part of a fight with Jones a couple years later.
True greats don't ask guys to come down to fight them ( GSP v Silva at 177 ? ridiculous), they go up and face the bigger man. Michael Spinks v Larry Holmes Leonard -Hagler Roy Jones won a big 4 belt at heavyweight ffs. Mayweather and Frankie Edgar have been fighting their WHOLE career massively undersized compared to their weight draining opponents but not GSP. The list goes on and on and on. GSP had the tools to be competitive against Silva imo. The best wresler ever in mma imo and excellent striking himself and a great gas tank. He wanted non of it and just made excuses whenever the subject was brought up. Just sayin.......
Could have challenged more than coming out of a 4 year retirement to move up in weight and take on a champion? Name one other man who's done that in UFC history. The only man who comes close is Randy Couture.
Whittaker may be the best 185 lb fighter in the world at the moment. A former welterweight, he may also be one of the middleweights GSP matches up favorably against. With the exception of maybe Thiago Alves, who GSP had a technical advantage over, GSP has always been the stronger fighter in the cage. This would change at 185 against monsters like Romero, Jacare, Weidman and Rockhold. I'm not saying Pierre has to be the stronger fighter to win. I'm saying it's something we haven't seen him up against. GSP has a better jab, and better boxing, than anyone Whittaker has faced. GSP is the better kicker. I don't think GSP necessarily has to take Whittaker down to win, which may help Georges' stamina. That's if his stamina is even an issue. It's the only question I had after his win over Bisping and he had enough left to pour it on for a stoppage when the moment presented itself. I don't believe GSP has an undefeated run against all challengers at middleweight in his future. Whittaker is a very dangerous opponent, but he may be GSP's best chance at a one and done to legitimize his 185 title before vacating.
I don't know what makes you think GSP ever seriously considered fighting Silva when both were champions and at there prime.In fact I remember Dana White said that GSP never wanted any part of Silva when it was discussed on multiple occasions. It also seemed obvious Silva wanted it more then GSP ,being so desperate that just before he lost to Weidman he spoke of going down to Welterweight to fight him.
Whittaker could honestly be the goat MW, once he stopped draining to WW he went on a right tear through the division and he's only a few victories away from cementing that legacy. That being said he is a former WW so if GSP is gonna beat any ATG one his size is the best way to go.
I liked what I saw against Bisping. GSP didn't look shot to me. I thought he lost to Big Rig in his previous bout a few years ago, but GSPs claims that most guys were juicing seem to have merit. I know I'm not the only one to notice guys looking like **** since USADA testing started. I think the playing field is much more level now. Now Bisping was a paper champ though. He was saved for GSP, and I agree, had Souza, Whitaker, or Romero held the belt, GSP wouldn't have came back at middleweight. But I disagree that he is shot. If GSP takes on Whitaker, more props to him. If he drops down, I don't have a problem with that either. People need to pump the breaks on the Bisping win elevating GSP into the stratosphere though. It was ****ing Bisping.
Other than GSP's jab i thought he looked slow, Bisping looked terrible, he looked flabby and out of shape like he barely trained. He looked in better shape when he fought on 2 weeks notice against Rockhold. At the moment Whittaker looks so much faster on his feet and handspeed than GSP. Considering he has come off 2 wins in a row against elite grapplers that make GSP look small.
