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UFC 137 Trash-Talk Alert: Cesar Gracie Blasts GSP’s ‘Ultimate Stalling’

(“‘aters gonna ‘ate.” Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.)

George St. Pierre‘s genius as an MMA fighter is his ability to put his opponents exactly where they don’t want to be. Against strikers (see: Alves, Hardy), that usually means St. Pierre taking top position on the mat and not giving them an inch of space. Against wrestlers (see: Koscheck, Shields), it usually means keeping the fight standing and jabbing them into a living death.

But in both cases, it hasn’t translated into dramatic finishes recently. Aside from his corner-stoppage win over BJ Penn at UFC 94, the last time that GSP has legitimately TKO’d or submitted an opponent was during his rematch with Matt Serra, over three years ago. Now two months away from his UFC 137 title defense against Nick Diaz, St. Pierre has picked up a reputation among some fans and observers as a “safe” fighter. One of his recent critics is Diaz’s trainer/manager Cesar Gracie, who shared some less-than-kind words to Full Contact Fighter:

(“‘aters gonna ‘ate.” Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.)

“The thing is it’s really not my business how he fights; he’s not on my team, so, I truly don’t care how he fights. Now if you’re asking me as a fan, yeah, that style is not what I like to watch. I like to watch guys that just go completely for it, take chances, and give crowds what they want, which is ‘Ultimate Fighting,’ not ‘ultimate stalling’ or anything like that.”

If Gracie is just saying that to get under St. Pierre’s skin and insult him into fighting a different kind of fight against Nick Diaz, well, his strategy probably won’t work. But from a fan’s perspective, he has a point. Keep in mind that Georges St. Pierre was unable to finish Dan Hardy in 25 minutes when they fought at UFC 111, while Carlos Condit subsequently knocked Hardy out in the first round, and Chris Lytle tapped him in the third. That seems to imply something about GSP’s finishing ability and/or risk-aversion.

Meanwhile, Nick Diaz’s current ten-fight win streak includes six TKOs and three submissions. Admittedly, Diaz’s level of competition hasn’t always been as high as GSP’s, but it’s obvious that when both fighters enter a cage, the objective is different. One is looking to win, the other is looking to kill.

So whose strategy will prove more effective when they meet on October 29th? And does GSP’s decision-streak affect your enjoyment of his fights?

Cesar Gracie on GSP: This Is ‘Ultimate Fighting’ Not ‘Ultimate Stalling’

A few months after Jake Shields suffered his first loss in six years, the Cesar Gracie camp is preparing for a second crack at UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz will be standing opposite the French-Canad…

A few months after Jake Shields suffered his first loss in six years, the Cesar Gracie camp is preparing for a second crack at UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz will be standing opposite the French-Canadian phenom this time around, and Gracie is every bit of as confident in the controversial Stockton native as he was in Shields.

“It should be a really good fight,” Gracie said in an interview with Full Contact Fighter. “Nick is really going to press the action. He’s going to force GSP to fight. I was just really happy that Nick is going to get the opportunity to show just how good he is now.”

Diaz has seen significant strides in his overall game since his last UFC appearance in November 2006. While his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has always been considered the most dangerous aspect of his game, Diaz’s improved boxing could rival his grappling base.

Training with WBA and WBC World Boxing Champion Luisito Espinosa and Olympic Boxing Gold Medalist Andre Ward, Diaz has quickly become one of the best boxers in the entire 170-pound division.

Will it all make any difference against St-Pierre, arguably the best wrestler in MMA?

“Georges is a great athlete and pretty smart fighter,” said Gracie. “His athleticism often lets him dictate where the fight is going to go, and if he’s comfortable where he can take the finish, without taking too many risks, he will.”

St-Pierre, who hasn’t finished a fight in over two years, has often been criticized for utilizing “safe” tactics to coast to decisions.

From a purely coaching perspective, St-Pierre’s way of fighting doesn’t faze Gracie. He is only worried about guys on his own team.

When he looks at things from a fan’s perspective, Gracie has a much different opinion of the champ.

“The thing is, it’s really not my business how he fights. He’s not on my team, so, I truly don’t care how he fights,” Gracie said. “Now if you’re asking me as a fan, yeah, that style is not what I like to watch. I like to watch guys that just completely go for it, take chances, and give crowds what they want, which is ‘Ultimate Fighting,’ not ‘ultimate stalling’ or anything like that.”

It may not be Gracie’s business how St-Pierre fights, but it is his business in making sure Diaz is fully prepared come fight night. Perhaps the most well-rounded fighter in the world, St-Pierre is a tough guy to plan for.

When looking at past bouts, Gracie sees similarities between Diaz and former two-division champion B.J. Penn. Like “The Prodigy,” Diaz is a world class boxer with a flexible guard, which allows him to seamlessly flow through sweeps and submission attempts.

“I think [GSP] is going to approach this fight somewhat like the B.J. Penn fight,” Gracie stated. “I think he’ll try to fight Nick the same way, where he’ll tie up with him, try to keep him up against the cage, do a little dirty boxing and try to get him arm weary, maybe get some takedowns and see how that goes. He’ll probably be cautious from the top position but try to inflict damage depending on how it’s going.”

St-Pierre and Diaz are expected to headline a stacked UFC 137 card on October 29 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While Diaz looks to win his first ever UFC title, St-Pierre seeks his seventh successful welterweight title defense, which would tie the record of MMA legend and UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes.

Follow me on Twitter @ JordyMcElroy

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Carlos Condit Talks Penn, Title Shot, and GSP vs. Diaz

Carlos Condit is in a great place right now. Outside of former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz, Condit is the hottest welterweight contender in the world. He is coming off a string of devastating KO and TKO wins over Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy and Dong H…

Carlos Condit is in a great place right now.

Outside of former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz, Condit is the hottest welterweight contender in the world.

He is coming off a string of devastating KO and TKO wins over Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy and Dong Hyun Kim.

The wins have been more than enough to put Condit over as the next contender for Georges St-Pierre’s UFC title, but the promotion has instead opted for a superfight between the French Canadian and Diaz at UFC 137.

Despite being passed up for a title shot, Condit’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. He is expected to serve in the co-main event of the UFC 137 main card against MMA legend and former two-division champion B.J. Penn.

A win over Penn would add a major name to Condit’s résumé

While Condit is more focused on his bout with Penn, he will also be eyeing the St-Pierre and Diaz fight. St-Pierre is a teammate of Condit’s at Greg Jackson’s MMA, but the former WEC champion has already stated that the two have no qualms about facing off in the center of the octagon for a world title.

In the video above, Condit goes into detail about Penn and a possible title shot. He also gives his early prediction for St-Pierre versus Diaz.

and likely thrust him into title contention.

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UFC 137: Georges St. Pierre the Best, but Nick Diaz the Most Dangerous

There are certain intangibles that exist in the mixed martial arts world. In order to be the man, you have to beat the man. Legacies cement legendary status. There are an infinite amount of other cliches that exist, but that doesn’t make them any …

There are certain intangibles that exist in the mixed martial arts world.

In order to be the man, you have to beat the man. Legacies cement legendary status. There are an infinite amount of other cliches that exist, but that doesn’t make them any less true.

For Georges St. Pierre, he is well regarded by everyone as a gentleman and embodies the true definition of what a martial artist should be. However, his legacy is still left wanting. It could be a while before we forget that the reigning UFC welterweight champion was outgunned by the pasta-loving New Yorker in Matt Serra, who throttled the Canadian for his 170-pound strap back in 2007.

It’s a bout four years in the books, but it’s a pattern that became apparent as early as 2004, when GSP was pitted against his idol in Matt Hughes in just his third UFC appearance. Georges, then just a prospect in the sport, threw away a fight he was winning be succumbing to an ill fated armbar in the waning moments of the first-round.

Granted, St. Pierre avenged both those losses in dominant fashion—Hughes twice over just for good measure—but even in his last victory over Jake Shields, did his ugly tendencies leer their weary head again.

Shovel punches scored for St. Pierre early, but he went to the well one too many times, abandoning any appropriate combinations that would present themselves thereon out. An errant punch that caught Georges in the eye had him even more shell-shocked, leading him to entertain a poorly executed kickboxing bout in which Jake Shields was gaining the upper hand in some spots. This is also the same Jake Shields who has relied solely on his jiu-jitsu background to secure all of his victories, which should tell you how effective his striking is overall.

It’s St. Pierre’s smooth transitions from striking to grappling that leave most fighters unable to engage in a way that would threaten the 30-year-old Quebecer, and for that reason, he’s the best.

There are also fewer men that would throw themselves in the line of fire if it means potential victory. Nick Diaz, the former Strikeforce welterweight champion, is the exception. While Shields is lauded for his jiu-jitsu prowess, Diaz comes a very close second to his teammate and friend, however, falls short on the sort of wrestling acumen that has complimented Jake’s game all these years.

His inability to take opponents to the mat at will forced him to develop his striking in a way that has become totally unique and his own. With little defense or regard for his own well being, Diaz uses combinations that stifle most opponents, peppering them with shots to the head and body, eventually wearing them down with the incredible pace to which he operates in, which can be attributed to the many triathlons he competes in throughout the year.

He may not be the most “PC” of the bunch—he talks without a filter—but that’s also what makes him so endearing. He’s a fighter’s fighter, a fan’s fighter and he’s not happy unless you’ve been knocked out or choked out. His 10-fight win streak is evidence of just that, with nine of those victories ending before the final bell.

The two welterweight standouts are scheduled to meet at UFC 137, adorning headlining honors at the pay-per-view event which takes place on October 29th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

On paper, it’s St. Pierre’s fight to lose. But if there was any fighter that could spoil the parade of the 170-pound kingpin, it would be the Stockton bad boy, the most dangerous welterweight fighter in the world.

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Nick Diaz Trains with Boxing Champ Andre Ward Ahead of UFC 137

Nick Diaz will prepare with IBA Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward in preparation for Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137, according to MMAFighting.com.Diaz is only a week away from beginning his training camp for the UFC Welterweight Champion. Diaz’…

Nick Diaz will prepare with IBA Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward in preparation for Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137, according to MMAFighting.com.

Diaz is only a week away from beginning his training camp for the UFC Welterweight Champion.

Diaz’s trainer, Cesar Gracie, said the opportunity to train with Ward will benefit not only Diaz’s boxing skills, but also help him prepare for and emulate St-Pierre’s speed.

“GSP is an athletic guy. I don’t think he’s the best boxer in the world, but he’s fast and quick out there,” Gracie said of St-Pierre.

“To get used to a guy like Andre Ward, GSP wont be really that big of a threat speed-wise if Nick gets used to Andre.”

Diaz held the welterweight title while competing in Strikeforce and will vacate the title in order to challenge the French-Canadian. During his tenure in Strikeforce, he went on a nine-fight winning streak.

However against St-Pierre, Diaz understands he’ll need more tools to beat him, as St-Pierre is widely considered the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC and arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts.

Gracie added that Diaz has incorporated the services of other wrestlers to help him prepare for the wrestling and the control “Rush” utilizes to wear down and dominate his opponents; but they aren’t trying to beat the champion in every aspect.

“It’s on the ground? We’ll fight on the ground. It’s standing up? We’ll fight standing up. Seriously, it’s like, don’t worry about it,”he said.

“A lot of people try to stop that and get in the game of who the more explosive athlete is. I don’t think that’s where we want to go.”

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Nick Diaz Preps for Georges St-Pierre With Boxing Champ Andre Ward

Filed under: UFC, NewsIn just over one week, Nick Diaz officially starts camp to train for his UFC welterweight championship opportunity against Georges St-Pierre. Diaz will do so surrounded by his usual partners at Team Cesar Gracie. But he’ll also ha…

Filed under: UFC, News

In just over one week, Nick Diaz officially starts camp to train for his UFC welterweight championship opportunity against Georges St-Pierre. Diaz will do so surrounded by his usual partners at Team Cesar Gracie. But he’ll also have the benefit of sparring with one of the world’s best boxers. For the duration of his camp, he’ll be spending time in the squared circle with super middleweight Andre Ward.

Ward is currently the WBA champion in his division and slotted at No. 9 on Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound world rankings.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Gracie explained that the training sessions will benefit Diaz not only in his boxing skills but also by preparing him for one of St-Pierre’s most underrated weapons: his speed.

“Andre is very quick and athletic,” Gracie said. “GSP is an athletic guy. I don’t think he’s the best boxer in the world, but he’s fast and quick out there. To get used to a guy like Andre Ward, GSP wont be really that big of a threat speed-wise if Nick gets used to Andre.”

Diaz and Ward have known each other for about 10 years, when a then-teenaged Ward would visit Gracie’s gym to box and he and Diaz would spar. While the two have worked together many times in the past and are friends, this marks the first time they will train together throughout an entire camp.

Like Diaz, Ward has a fight scheduled for October 29. He’ll face the UK’s Carl Froch in the finals of the Super Six boxing classic in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Meanwhile, Diaz faces St-Pierre 2,500 miles away in Las Vegas.

Diaz has won 10 straight fights dating back to May 2008. Once considered a light puncher, Diaz has finished six of those wins by TKO. He also has three submissions and one decision. In his last fight, he finished British striker Paul Daley via strikes in a fight-fire-with-fire kind of performance.

Of course, St-Pierre is known for much more than his striking, often using his wrestling to control and batter his opponents. Gracie said Diaz (25-7, 1 no contest) will also be importing wrestlers into his camp to prepare for that, but he added that they are not going to be overly concerned with getting into a tactical battle for where the fight takes place.

“The best thing for Nick to do is really not to try to necessarily stop that, and not care where it’s going to go,” he said. “It’s on the ground? We’ll fight on the ground. It’s standing up? We’ll fight standing up. Seriously, it’s like, don’t worry about it. A lot of people try to stop that and get in the game of who the more explosive athlete is. I don’t think that’s where we want to go.”

About two-and-a-half months away from a fight he lobbied for, Diaz has his camp set and his goal ahead of him. Asked about Diaz’s mindset this far out, Gracie said he is simply focused on the task at hand. He’s always wanted to prove he’s the best welterweight in the world, and there’s not much more to say until he gets the job done. Is he anxious? Excited? Nope. He’s just Nick being Nick.

“You can’t really notice a difference with Nick,” he said. “I don’t think ‘excitement’ is a word he uses in his particular vocabulary. He’s the same. It’s a fight for him. He hasn’t lost a fight in four years or so. The guy likes to fight. He’s going to train hard. There’s no difference mentally.”

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