Is GSP too risk averse to finish fights?

GSP for all his skills is not a KO artist! and Kos is one tough SOB, so theres no point in trying to finish. I think GSP handed out a proper beat down though and made a pizza out of Kos's face. That there was some awesome technical striking, some of the best that I have seen in the cage. GSP performed surgery on Kos, that's how clinical a beat down it was.

Is that not enough??

 

I don't think GSP purposely tries not to finish fights, I just don't think the skills he possess are great for ending fights. He doesn't have natural power and his jiu-jitsu is good, but not overly great. A lot was made out of his striking against Kos, but it was very fundamental. Sure he can jab, but he can't stand in the pocket and counter with flush shots. Not because he's scared but because he's not good enough to at this point in time. Maybe in the future he'll learn but he always seems to circle out and reset.

 

After the third round, GSP's Corner told him that he had the fight in the bag and to keep circling and jabbing.

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He gets some extra pats on the back from fight fans. Anonymous people like myself posts some hero worship on various MMA forums.

There is a chance to win a bonus, not guaranteed though, of knockout of the night.

Personally for him, it would be a great ego boost and enhance his reputation.

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The big one, being caught with a counter and being knocked out himself.

The risk of injury, facial damage, concussion, disfigurement.

Massive financial penalty for losing fight, many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The humiliation of being defeated, losing his status, his standing. loss of title.

Losing control of when and whom he fights.

Getting less money for future fights as a non-champion.

Bound to be a knock on effect of sponsorship income.



We won't know anything about GSP's finishing ability, until someone has got to him three rounds down on points and he has his back against the wall, until that happens we don't know diddily squat, about whether he can stay in the pocket and get blasting,I suspect he could tear it up pretty good.

 

My personal opinion is that GSP is fighting smart, but when he losses, it will be because of his lack of KO power. Can you imagine The Iceman, in his prime, landing these many shots and a fighter still being around. I can't.

Or Anderson Silvia for that matter. This would even end up being the key difference between GSP and Anderson, when, and if, they ever meet.

 

so what if he doesn't ko people? he's a clever fighter and he wins, what else do you want?

he knows his strengths and he uses them, isn't that enough?

 

I agree with this for the most part except for the fact that his finishing ability was greater earlier in his career.

so what has changed?

 

That doesnt change the performances GSP put in agenst them.

Anyone who criticized GSP vs Fitch is a fool since he handed out a grade A ass whooping in that fight just as Fedor did vs Nog, it was only his oppoannts toughness that prevented a finish.

Matches like Kos and Alves is a different story, tough though they may be GSP really didnt test that toughness much and fought a very conservative game aiming to win a decision.

I think its easy to see why he fought in a different fashion, going after Fitch standing is much elss dangerous than going after Kos or Alves.

 

he wants to finish fights, just unlucky not to.. :think

 

That goes without saying and he can do both equally well imo. Just doesnt get the finish. Someone brought up a good point that a loss will equall a lot of money in win bonus' ect going down the drain. Guess its risk v reward and against these fighters it's not worth the risk

 

I know GSP has a lot of fans around the world. I dont hate the guy and I think he is very talented. He is no doubt a great fighter. I still think he is boring and I dont care to watch him fight. When his fights come on, I go and do something else and catch the results later.

He is extremely boring. There are plenty of technical fighters out there that are exciting to watch but GSP isnt one of them. I just dont care to see him fight. I dont get excited when he has a fight coming up. His striking is boring, his ground game is boring. He is a safety first fighter and there is nothing wrong with that, just dont expect me to say he is an electrifying fighter to watch when he isnt. Even his die hard fans know he is a bore even though they wont admit it.

 

I can certainly see the reasons for it but in terms of sporting achievement...

Handing out an ass kicking > Fighting for a decesion

GSP isnt of course alone though and is probabley the most entertaining guy to see win a risk free decision around at the moment, still fights like Kos and Alves arent the stuff legends are made of.

 

He isnt the most "electrifying" fighter that is true, but I am drawn by his complete control over his opponents. He is always in control of the fight from start to finish his opponent seems to always be along for the ride and a step behind even when the manage to get gsp on his back for a few seconds- their is no worry they just cant seem to harm him!:deal

This impresses me and while being impressed I am thoughly entertained!

 

Guess a good analogy would be English football in the late 80's early 90's. Arsenal were winning titles with 1-0 victories, but everyone preferred watching Spurs

 

The caliber of opponents. I think if people took a closer look at most of the guys GSP finished they were guys who were finish prone. Pete Spratt has a horrible ground game, Trigg getting RNC'd is one of the endless jokes in MMA, Thomas Denny's always getting stopped etc., etc. When you look at his earlier record, he was rarely stopping the tougher to finish guys like Mayhem and Parisyan(then). I do think that if he fights Shields he will ultimately finish him.

 

Koscheck got an ass whooping lets just be thankful for that