MMA Top 10 Welterweights: No End in Sight to GSP’s Dominance

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, WelterweightsGeorges St. Pierre whipped Josh Koscheck for five rounds at UFC 124, bringing to 30 his streak of consecutive rounds won. Think about that: St. Pierre has fought the best of the best in the welterwe…

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Georges St. Pierre whipped Josh Koscheck for five rounds at UFC 124, bringing to 30 his streak of consecutive rounds won. Think about that: St. Pierre has fought the best of the best in the welterweight division, and although you can knock him for not finishing most of his recent fights, even the wildly inconsistent judges we have in MMA these days couldn’t find a reason to score a single round against him over 30 rounds of action.

So when does that change? Jake Shields has dominated a whole lot of opponents himself recently, winning 15 straight fights including eight by stoppage and five by unanimous decision. But while Shields is certainly worthy of his title shot, it’s extremely difficult to envision him actually beating St. Pierre, who does just about everything better than Shields. I could very easily see St. Pierre beating Shields by yet another unanimous decision, 50-45 all the way around.

And so as we rank the Top 10 welterweights in MMA, we’re left wondering if any of them have what it takes to end GSP’s reign.

Dear Jason Miller, STFU You Non-Contender. Best Regards, The Gracies

Apparently tired of the rantings provided by Jason “Mayhem” Miller that Strikeforce Welterweight Champion, Nick Diaz is ducking him on a fight, Graciefighter issued this statement today on their website:
As Jason Miller’s rantings become more intense and pathetic, we found it important to refute his incoherent diatribe with reasoning that any child or even Jason […]

Jake-Shields-takes-shots-at-Jason-Mayhem-Miller-after-Strikeforce-title-fight
Apparently tired of the rantings provided by Jason “Mayhem” Miller that Strikeforce Welterweight Champion, Nick Diaz is ducking him on a fight, Graciefighter issued this statement today on their website:

As Jason Miller’s rantings become more intense and pathetic, we found it important to refute his incoherent diatribe with reasoning that any child or even Jason Miller himself could understand.

Miller is now demanding a fight with Nick Diaz based on several reasons, none of which include the most fundamental of factors; actually earning a shot at the Champ by working your way up as a viable contender.

Miller has already lost to the only Team Graciefighter he has ever faced; Jake Shields. After the lopsided defeat, Miller was less than gracious, prompting Shields to respond,
“I’m on to bigger & better fights like always. I mean ur last real win was when you beat up your girlfriend and got arrested”

Jake Shields then went on to defeat highly touted Dan Henderson. Henderson had routinely used Miller as a human mop to clean the mats with at Team Quest in Temecula, California.

After Shields’ victory, Miller decided to demand a rematch he had no chance of ever earning. (sound familiar)
This time Miller was foolish enough to interrupt Shields on national television after the greatest win of his career.

Miller subsequently received a deserved thumping from some of Jake’s team mates which even UFC President, Dana White, commenting on Miller stated, “you’ve got this f^*@ing goofball running in saying “Hey where’s my rematch?”, well what did you think was going to happen?”

Miller went on to use the post fight “jumping” as the basis for a match with Nick Diaz. Our camp offered Miller a fight at any weight behind closed doors with Diaz if Miller was not able to move on from his issues with him. Miller has instead crusaded for a payday fight. Publicity stunt?

Nick Diaz being the 170lbs Strikeforce Champion will fight anyone the organization puts in front of him. This includes Jason Miller. Miller has declined to make the 170lbs weight limit he has previously fought in.

Jason Miller has asked Nick Diaz to fight at a “catch-weight”. Miller stated he would fight at the same catch-weight that Diaz had previously fought in. Strikeforce approached our camp with Miller’s request and we accepted the same weight as Diaz’s last catch-weight, 178 + a 1 pound allowance for 179lbs. Diaz has never fought over 180lbs. Miller then changed his mind and declined.

Now wanting the fight at 183lbs (184 with a 1 pound allowance), Miller told anyone that would listen that “Diaz had fought on several occasions at 183lbs.”

Hoping that if he lied enough people would actually beleive him, Miller continues to lie.

Lastly, a desperate Jason Miller has pulled up an interview where Nick Diaz stated that besides 170lbs, he would be also interested in fighting at 155lbs, and 185lbs sometime in the future. Citing this, Miller has become manic in his insistance that Diaz is ducking him.

We wonder if Jorge Gurgel will next cite the same interview as a demand Diaz drops down to 155lbs immediately for a fight or he will also be ducking him?

As the Strikeforce Champion, Nick Diaz will fight at other weight classes, but only against relevant contenders and champions not irrelevant non-contenders.

When Dana White talks of GSP fighting at middle weight, he means against the Anderson Silva’s of the world not the Mayhem Millers. If Miller ever signs with the UFC we would truly like to see Dana’s reaction when the man he refers to as “that F^@*ing goofball” calls out their Welterweight Champ to fight him, a non-contender at middleweight.
Good luck Miller.

Firas Zahabi: GSP Already Back in Training, Should Face Jake Shields Next

Filed under: UFCDespite going five full rounds in another successful title defense at UFC 124 on Saturday night, UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre isn’t taking time off to savor the win. According to head trainer Firas Zahabi, St. Pierre is in …

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Despite going five full rounds in another successful title defense at UFC 124 on Saturday night, UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre isn’t taking time off to savor the win. According to head trainer Firas Zahabi, St. Pierre is in New York this week to continue his training just days after defeating Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision in Montreal.

“We love the sport, we love what we do. Georges loves the sport. It’s on our mind 24 hours a day,” Zahabi explained to MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

“This is a vacation for him. This is a pleasure. It’s not going to be training like we’re training for a fight. It’s not close to a fight, so training’s going to be more pleasurable and more cerebral, maybe a little less physical since his body does need to rest. But it’s still going to be physical and it’s true enjoyment.”

Kampmann vs. Sanchez Slotted in For Main Event of March 3 UFC Versus 3 Card

(Someone is coming out of this fight with new war wounds.)
It looks like Diego Sanchez broke his promise and will be staying at welterweight, at least for the time being.
Sanchez will take on Martin Kampmann in the main event on March 3 on the next UFC…


(Someone is coming out of this fight with new war wounds.)

It looks like Diego Sanchez broke his promise and will be staying at welterweight, at least for the time being.

Sanchez will take on Martin Kampmann in the main event on March 3 on the next UFC on Versus card. CagePotato.com was able to confirm the initial report with sources close to the fight who indicated that bout agreements have been received and they are in the process of signing.

Coming off of a decisive unanimous decision victory over Paulo Thiago at UFC 121 in October, Sanchez, who alongside Forrest Griffin was one of the two winners of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter as a middleweight, dropped down to lightweight in 2009. After running through the division and securing a title shot against then-champion, BJ Penn, Sanchez was dominated for five rounds by "The Prodigy" before being stopped via a cut at the midway point of the final frame.

After the bout, Sanchez decided that a move up to welterweight would likely be a more expedient route to a second shot at UFC gold considering the lineup forming behind Penn, so he took a tune-up fight against up-and-coming undefeated Brit, John Hathaway. The fight proved to be tougher than Sanchez anticipated as he was handed a loss by "The Hitman" who threw a wrench into his welterweight plans.

Now "The Nightmare" will have to avoid the crosshairs of another "Hitman" looking to climb the welterweight ranks by beating him.

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Hendo Says Pain Meds Hampered Weight Cut, Performance in Shields Fight

("So … you holdin’?" PicProps: Some dude’s blog)
It was pretty clear back in April that Dan Henderson came to Strikeforce: Nashville fully intending to knock Jake Shields out in the first round. When that didn’t quite happen, it looke…


("So … you holdin’?" PicProps: Some dude’s blog)

It was pretty clear back in April that Dan Henderson came to Strikeforce: Nashville fully intending to knock Jake Shields out in the first round. When that didn’t quite happen, it looked to a lot of people watching at home like Henderson just took an “ah, fuck this” attitude to the next four rounds. In conceding a unanimous decision loss, Hendo sent Shields cruising to the UFC on a high note while simultaneously raising a lot of troubling questions about his own future in the sport and exactly what Strikeforce got when it signed the 40-year-old former Pride champ to a deal after Big DW passed on him.

Now, Henderson says it wasn’t boredom or lack of training that made him look like a guy who’d rather be back home in California wolfing down fish tacos and watching the tide roll in for the final 20-minutes of his promotional debut.  It was, uh, the pain pills. Yeah … not sure if this makes it better or worse, but Hendo recently told MMA Weekly that the meds he was taking for his aching back turned his weight cut to 185-pounds for that bout into a real doozy and that it left him feeling not quite himself by the time he stepped in the cage.

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10 QUESTIONS WITH JAKE ELLENBERGER

By Joyce Lynda Valdes

As news leaks that UFC Welterweight, Jake Ellenberger will be getting a crack at the #2 ranked Welterweight in the world, MMAFix decided to ask Ellenberger 10 burning questions. Jake Ellenberger took some time out from training in Hawaii to sit down at his computer and explain to us why he […]

By Joyce Lynda Valdes

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As news leaks that UFC Welterweight, Jake Ellenberger will be getting a crack at the #2 ranked Welterweight in the world, MMAFix decided to ask Ellenberger 10 burning questions. Jake Ellenberger took some time out from training in Hawaii to sit down at his computer and explain to us why he calls Jake Shields, “Miss Piggy” and why he thinks he’s been asked to fight Jon Fitch at UFC 126.

1. Okay, I’ve seen your Twitter talk to Jake Shields. Why did you dub him “Miss Piggy”? And are you not a fan of McDonald’s dollar menu?

JE: Miss Piggy is fitting for Shields for his softness when he fights. Also his feminine charm reminds me of Miss Piggy from the Muppet Show.

2. I’ve read that Jake Shields ducked a fight with you some time ago. Can you explain that?

JE: Easy, I signed a contract to fight him, his dad pulled him out. Weak move.

3. So is it safe to say you were unimpressed with Shield’s Decision win against Martin Kampmann? What did you think of Kampmann’s performance? He told us he put in a shitty performance and wasn’t happy with himself.

JE: Jake Shields always seems to have an excuse. News Flash, everyone cuts weight in the upper echelon of the UFC, I cut 20 pounds to make welterweight, and I walk around at 205. When you are a professional athlete, you have the right people are in place around you, and decisions can be made about situations like this. If it’s too hard to make 170, either compete at middleweight or cut the weight and don’t complain.

4. How much can you confirm that there will be a bout between you and Jon Fitch at UFC 126?

JE: That is the rumor…

5. Jon Fitch is the number 2 ranked Welterweight in the world but is often criticized for not putting on the most exciting performances. How do you feel about Fitch?

JE: Jon Fitch is a great fighter and no one but GSP has beaten him in a long time. He has solid wrestling, good hands, smothering top game, and a good guard. Like any other guy, he has holes in his game though in which I will try to exploit.

6. We know you put on exciting fights. What you did to John Howard’s face was very impressive at UFC on Versus 2. What do yousay to people who are a little surprised though at your rapid flight up the ranks to get an opportunity at Jon Fitch?

JE: Joe and Dana are the best in the business for a reason and they make matchups for exciting fights. I will always have an exciting fight!

7. Do you agree as some MMA analysts have said, that Fitch has far more to lose than you do if he takes a loss to you?

JE: Sure, I agree. Everyone in a fight has something to lose.

8. It may be fair to say the UFC Welterweight division is the most stacked division they have with all four of the top ranked MMA Welterweights in the world fighting in the promotion. Other top 10 fighters, for instance in the UFC Light Heavyweight division like Jon Jones and Matt Hamill have yet to receive a top 5 fighter, why do you think you are getting this outstanding opportunity?

JE: My job is to fight, that’s it. I am grateful for the opportunity to fight a top 5 guy, and any other professional fighter would take advantage of this opportunity as well.

9. If you can beat Jon Fitch and have the chance to pick your next opponent, Title shot not a factor, who would you choose to fight? GSP or Jake Shields? Shields has said that he would prefer Georges St. Pierre over Josh Koscheck because beating St. Pierre would be more prestigious. How do you feel?

JE: Shields, he will not beat me. EVER.

10. What do you want MMA fans to expect from you going into your next fight? …that you can finish Fitch?…that you will put on an exciting show?…that you can smack talk better than Chael Sonnen?

JE: I always have exciting fights, and look forward to becoming a world champion.