I find it interesting that everyone is listing BJ for guard, yet he has never finished anyone from his back. He is brilliant top position grappler, and other than working for a back mount and using some rubber work against GSP and Hughes has never really been what I would consider a stellar guard player. Someone like Aoki would be a better call. Or Fedor even, when has he ever been on his back and not almost immediately nailed a submission. I do think BJ has the best overall submission grappling game in MMA though.
1. Striking (Overall): Anderson Silva 2. Leg Kicks: Ricardo Arona 3. Hands: Kid Yamamoto or Rampage 4. Chin: Mark Hunt by a landslide 5. Takedowns: GSP 6. Control on the ground: GSP 7. Takedown defense: GSP 8. Guard: Aoki 9. Submission Defense: Fedor 10. Submissions: BJ Penn 11. Ground and Pound: Fedor
I put him there for a few reasons. The #1 reason being the move he pulled from his guard against Hughes. When he slithered around and took his back. It was pretty much world knowledge that if Matt Hughes got you on your back you were going to get ****ed up, but BJ took almost no damage and then took Hughes's back. The second reason is name the guys that GSP has gotten down and not been able to eventually, actually rather quickly, take side control on and eventually mount. I can't think of anyone....except BJ. His guard was able to completely neutralize THE BEST in GSP on the ground, not only neutralize him but he was working for subs, working to take his back and almost had him in a dangerous sub nearing the end of the fight. To say he has never finished anyone isn't fair because he isn't in that position all to often....but when he has been, against the most dangerous guys (Hughes and GSP) to be there with, he pretty much did all you can ask for.
1. Striking (Overall): Anderson Silva 2. Leg Kicks: Prime Bas, now Jardine i guess 3. Hands: Prime Belfort, now Anderson Silva or Rampage 4. Chin: Mark Hunt 5. Takedowns: Couture, or gsp/koscheck 6. Control on the ground: sherk 7. Takedown defense: chuck 8. Guard: big nog 9. Submission Defense: fedor 10. Submissions: BJ Penn 11. Ground and Pound: couture and fedor
Excellent post..its the transitions from the guard that makes BJ amazing. Also I do remember that fight with GSP. That was a gassed BJ on his guard. No one passes BJs guard...
