George “Rush” St. Pierre has given Nick Diaz the greatest and the worst Christmas present ever. On one hand he gave him the biggest pay day of his life, and on the other he will give him the worst ass kicking of his life. I’m going to make a bold prediction here; GSP is going to retire Nick Diaz. I may end up eating my words, but after being dominated for five rounds I believe Nick Diaz will call it quits. GSP has the edge in all of the areas; here are a few where I believe he will really show his dominance.
Wrestling
This is quite obvious, St. Pierre is one of the best wrestlers in the UFC; and he had no prior wrestling experience when he began his career. When GSP met Koscheck for the first time he showed the world how dominant of a wrestler he really was, out wrestling the All American for all three rounds. Some people say that when the fight hits the mat Diaz will have the advantage because of his BJJ; those people forget that GSP has a black belt in the “gentle art” as well. GSP has crushing top control and Diaz will be no match for his strength and skill.
Athleticism
GSP is by far the most athletic fighter to grace the Octagon, yet this is only due to his hard work and dedication. Whereas in my opinion Diaz is one of the least athletic, sure he trains for triathlons, but he doesn’t measure up against GSP. The Champ is stronger, faster, and can go hard for five full rounds, something he has been doing for eleven out of his past twelve fights.
X-Factor
I’m not talking about the TV show here, I’m talking about intangibles. The fight is taking place in GSP’s home town of Montreal at the Bell Centre. Diaz is known for hating press conferences and the likes; it will be interesting to see how he fairs in another country while doing these activities.
GSP is also one of the most composed fighters ever, he is strictly business when he steps in the Octagon. Diaz on the other hand is not, he is known for his trash talking and antics while fighting and leading up to fights. This I believe will play into the hands of the Champion. GSP has dealt with trash talkers from Koscheck to Hardy, and I don’t believe Diaz has what it takes to get into his head.
Summary
In the end Diaz will be no match for GSP, much like all of the previous challengers to his belt. GSP will beat Diaz to the punch, kick, and takedown; and he will do so for five rounds. As we saw in the Condit fight, Diaz will lose his cool and begin to talk trash and try to anger King George. In the end the judges will be called to make a decision and Bruce Buffer will announce “And still the UFC Welterweight Champion of the World! George “Rush” St. Pierre”. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a brawl ensue, but in the coming days Diaz will retire; who knows maybe he will become a professional triathlete.
– Josh Leduc