Speaking with The Opie & Anthony Show Monday morning, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre not only lost his title to Johny Hendricks at UFC 167, but that he should walk away from the sport. Hendricks appeared to have decisively dominated much of the action during the five-round main event, but St-Pierre was awarded a split decision victory.
“I think Georges should retire,” said Rogan. “One of the reasons I think Georges should retire is he was on my podcast and he was talking about being abducted by aliens. I was going, ‘you think you’ve been abducted by aliens?’ He starts talking about missing time. He started talking about driving his car and all of a sudden he’s at home and he has no idea [how] he got there. I think it’s head kicks.”
“That fight he had some serious memory loss (at UFC 167). I think he’s taken too many shots. An interesting statistic is that Georges has taken more punches and kicks in the last three fights than any of his fights, ever. In fact, 50% of the shots he’s taken his entire career were in the last three fights. I think he should get out. I know the UFC probably doesn’t want to hear me say that. I know that could be a huge rematch.”
“I think they should just give Johny Hendricks the belt. I think Johny Hendricks won that fight. I think there’s real problems with judging and I don’t think there should be a way for a guy to win a fight, but yet lose a fight.”
Rogan also addresses the controversy alleging Hendricks tapped to St-Pierre during the first round. While Hendricks’ positioning is fairly common in grappling (wrist to hip near side, deep underhook far side) some fans believed he was submitting to a choke.
“I read a lot of really f***ing dumb people who thought [Hendricks] tapped in the first round. He did not tap in the first round. People are f***ing retarded. He’s trying to figure out what to do with his hips. When you’ve got a guy on top of you, he’s mounting you and trying to choke you, the options are two fold. One, you’ve got to figure out how to push him off you and two, you’ve got to figure out how to separate the choke.”
“He’s gotta figure out what to do. So he’s in the middle of deciding ‘how tight is this choke’ and that depends which way he’s twisting his neck. Can he twist his neck out of it? Can he tuck the chin? Should he put his hands on his hips or should he grab the choke? He probably had a moment of hesitation. He didn’t tap. You don’t tap that quick. The only way you tap that quick is if a guy is ripping your f***ing neck off your head.”
Although UFC president Dana White claims to be confident a rematch will take place, St-Pierre’s post-fight comments seemed to allude to major personal issues burdening the champion.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Team Hendricks. Johny Hendricks’ manager is confident his fighter will be facing Georges St-Pierre again. “I haven’t heard anything from the UFC, but I am (sure Hendricks’ next fight will be a rematch) because Dana makes things happen.”
3rd man. Referee Mario Yamasaki disagree’s with the judges’ decision at UFC 167. “I’m inside the cage so I can’t see the fight as the judge sees it, but I thought Hendricks won the fight.”
Fortunes changed for five. Dave Meltzer tells us where UFC 167’s biggest winners and losers go from here.
Rumors put to rest. With rabid speculation as to St-Pierre’s personal problems, a family member has come forward to dispute some claims.
Askren wants MacDonald. Former Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren says he will fight Rory MacDonald for free and that he’ll retire from MMA if he loses.
It’s Tuesday, so make sure to check out this week’s MMA Hour featuring MMA journalist Dave Meltzer, Firas Zahabi, GSP’s head trainer, Campbell McLaren, the original executive producer of the UFC, Ben Askren, Jason High, Mark Hunt and Ted Ehrhardt, Johny Hendricks’ manager.
MEDIA STEW
Manny Pacquiao working with Freddie Roach.
In honor of Legend FC closing up shop here are its top KO’s.
Cool mini doc with Carlo Prater.
Knuckle Up with Eugene S. Robinson. ‘UFC 167, the horrible crap it wrought & Sal D’Amato, Tony Weeks & Asswipery’
Ashlee Evans-Smith says she feels Fallon Fox shouldn’t be able to fight women.
Chael Sonnen pranked. (skip to 1:15)
Recaps of ONE FC 12 and Final Fight Championship 9.
With bonus Super Fight League 34.
TWEETS
Feeling better.
Good morning from Vegas – Feeling much better now! Merci à tous pour votre support incroyable!!! pic.twitter.com/zBGs2OLPkW
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) November 18, 2013
It’s been a rough time in Las Vegas ready to get back to Texas and see what the future holds lol.
— Johny Hendricks (@JohnyHendricks) November 18, 2013
Hoo boy.
Party hard !!! pic.twitter.com/03XSQiHiut
— Erik Goyito Perez (@Goyito_Perez) November 18, 2013
Still talking 167.
Still think Johnny won, was a close one. Just sucks that judging isn’t perfect, but humans aren’t perfect.
— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) November 18, 2013
I had Hendricks winning the fight 1,2&4 easy”@PositiveMilitia: @JohnMcCarthyMMA Hi John, who did you think won on Saturday?
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) November 19, 2013
Don’t need a neck to act.
Just got done with class. Great day of breaking down my script and lines finding the actions for the reactions. Now Training the mind.
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) November 18, 2013
Get well.
I’m out of Surgery 😁 They cleaned out all the bone fragments out of my elbow. Can’t wait to be training again
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) November 18, 2013
Back at the doc getting checked for hernias;)
— Scott jorgensen (@Scottjorgensen) November 18, 2013
But capri sweatpants, Rich?
This is what usually happens to my training partners. Sad! #trainhard pic.twitter.com/d2CAvJaqqC
— Rich Franklin (@RichFranklin) November 19, 2013
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Nov. 18 2013)
NA
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via okgangster.
The UFC celebrated its 20th anniversary last night and it climaxed with Georges St. Pierre fighting Johnny Hendricks for the welterweight title. I don’t feel like typing much of an introduction so let’s get into this.
The first fight was Tim Elliot against the Russian, Ali Bagautinov. This fight saw Elliot go with the hands down, block with face strategy that usually doesn’t end well. Fortunately for Elliot’s brain though he didn’t get knocked out, he lost a decision. It was an exciting fight that saw Elliot push the pace, but his undoing was simply not throwing punches while Bagautinov was hitting him with power shots and it cost him. For Bagautinov a fight with Dustin Ortiz seems to make sense right now. As for Elliot he should look to fight Louis Gaudinot or Phil Harris.
Up next on the card was Tyrone “The Chosen One” Woodley against Josh Koscheck. Woodley made quick work of Kos, knocking him out round 1. Kos seemed to be invigorated until the fight started. Woodley’s power was just too much to handle. If he doesn’t get cut Josh Koscheck has a few choices, he should look to fight Sexyama (if he ever comes back), Brian Ebersole, Erick Silva, or retire. Woodley looked good; he should change his horrible nickname and fight Dong Hyung Kim or the winner of Jake Ellenburger /Tarec Saffadine.
…
Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.