Inför nattens UFC 167 har ett gäng framstående fighters i UFC fått frågan hur matchen mellan regerande welterviktsmästare Georges St-Pierre och utmanande Johny Hendricks kommer att utspela sig. Det visar sig att många väljer att tro på utmanaren denna gång, trots St-Pierres framgångar och att han har en vinstsvit på elva matcher.
Inför titelmatchen mellan försvarande Georges St-Pierre (24-2) och utmanaren Johny Hendricks (15-1) har flera framstående fighters frått frågan hur titelmatchen kommer att sluta. De hade följande att säga.
– If I were a betting man, I’d take Johny Hendricks for the upset. You have to give Johny a huge chance in this fight. I’m most excited to see how their wrestling matches up. If Johny can stop the takedown, like a lot of people think he will, it is going to be very interesting, säger Carlos Condit som gått match mot både St-Pierre och Hendricks.
– Johny is by far the biggest threat to GSP’s title, that’s obvious. Hendricks could be the guy to end GSP’s reign, we all get that. What’s getting missed here is the bigger story: If GSP wins this fight, he is the greatest fighter in the history of the UFC, the number one guy of the UFC’s first two decades. Hendricks will be the UFC champion in the future – I think we can all agree on that – so if GSP can beat him now he will not only be the greatest fighter of his era, but also of the Hendricks era. Every win Hendricks gets after losing to GSP would be a win for GSP, too. So this is an even bigger stakes match than people realize. I think GSP will show up in the form of his life – but I also think Hendricks wins this, säger Chael Sonnen som själv utmanat om en titel vid tre tillfällen.
– I think Johny Hendricks is the better fighter across the board. Better wrestler, better striker, takes a shot better – everything. But I think GSP, he’s just a freak, he will find a game plan to win on points. I really think that Hendricks should win this fight, but I won’t bet against GSP, säger Tim Kennedy.
– It’s going to be a tense first round for sure. I think whoever imposes their will and can get the ball rolling early will take it. Cardio is going to be the key and you know Georges will be ready to go the full five. Hendricks needs to come in shape and, if he does, he’s got a great chance to take the title, säger Robbie Lawler som också tävlar på galan.
– Johny has been taking out a lot of tough guys, knocking guys out, so he has a huge puncher’s chance. Koscheck had a great right hand and a puncher’s chance against GSP, but nothing like this guy. GSP does fight safe, so the opportunities for Hendricks to land the shot are going to be few and far between, but he will get the chance and he has to be ready to take it. That’s what I did, säger Matt Serra som är den senaste att besegra St-Pierre.
– The upset can happen. We all know GSP is the best problem-solver in the sport, but he’s got a hell of a problem in this fight. Johny Hendricks presents a different kind of danger than anyone else Georges has ever fought. GSP has beaten fighters with good power before, but Hendricks, to my mind, is the hardest single-shot puncher in the division. Johny Hendricks needs to hit you once, and that’s it. GSP has beaten great wrestlers – before, but no one anywhere near as decorated as Hendricks. Even if Johny’s wrestling enables him to stay standing for 10 minutes out of the scheduled 25, that’s still a hell of a long time for him to land one shot, säger Dan Hardy som utmanat St-Pierre om titeln vid ett tillfälle.
– I definitely believe Hendricks has a chance to beat GSP. He’s a hard hitter with excellent wrestling skills, so anything can happen, säger Alexander Gustafsson som i sin senaste match var i samma position som Hendricks.
– I think Johny is gonna get this. GSP is super athletic, a great champion, but Johny’s wrestling and power gives him the advantage. GSP doesn’t have the best chin in the world, and actually I think he can’t take a shot even as well as he did a few years ago. I can see a second-round KO, säger Chad Mendes.
– Georges is the all-round better fighter, but I think Johny is winning this fight. I think the years of being champion, fighting the best of the best, fight after fight, year after year, have taken a toll on GSP. His chin isn’t what it was and I think Johny’s takedown defense is so good that he will spend enough time on his feet to land the knockout shot. Johny is happy to take a few to land one, and I think that will happen. Carlos Condit did a lot of damage to Georges in their fight, and if Johny catches him like that it is over, säger numera pensionerade Brian Stann.
– GSP knows how not to lose fights, and I can see him not losing the fight. But, I have this feeling that Johny Hendricks is so wild, so unpredictable, that he will catch GSP. Hendricks is like a wind-up doll with a chainsaw and I don’t know how you can prepare for that. GSP will have had a hard time preparing for this style. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Hendricks wins the title, säger Cat Zingano.
– I’m going with Hendricks to put him to sleep in one round with a left hook. Hendricks has the capabilities of stopping GSP’s takedowns and, quite honestly, it is going to be a murder on the feet. Hendricks hits too hard and he can take a hell of a shot himself. Hendricks’ left hook is the most dangerous weapon in the entire welterweight division, and it will win him the UFC championship on November 16. Also, I’m just not sure if GSP really wants to do this anymore. He is the best welterweight of all time, perhaps the best UFC fighter of all time, period, säger Michael Bisping.
– If I had to bet a lot of money on it, I’d go with GSP on points, but I think Johny has a real good chance because GSP doesn’t like getting hit. I’m excited to see two things happen in this fight. First, I want to see how GSP reacts to getting hit by someone who hits like Hendricks. Second, I’m really interested in how Hendricks deals with getting put on his back. Hendricks is a four-time NCAA Division I wrestling All-American, he’s not used to getting taken down, but it will happen fighting Georges. It will happen in the first round. If Johny can mentally deal with that, keep cool, get up and throw, he can win this fight, säger Jake Shields som tidigare utmanat St-Pierre om titeln.
– I really think Hendricks has the tools to get his hand raised. He’s obviously got the wrestling, and along with the wrestling he’s got that big left hand. I don’t think Georges’ jab is going to be as effective against a southpaw, and he’s always going to know that when he’s close enough to throw that jab, Johny’s gonna be close enough to land that left. So I think that may play into Georges’ mind just a little bit and I think mentally Georges has some obstacles because he doesn’t like to get hit, säger Matt Hughes som gått tre matcher mot St-Pierre.
– I’m going with Johny. He’s got the wrestling, the power and the more I hear from him, he just sounds confident, like he knows he’s got this. I’m calling the upset, säger Gray Maynard som försökt ta hem lättviktstiteln vid två tillfällen.
– I was able to work with Johny in the past and no one performs better when the lights are brightest. I pick Hendricks, säger Daniel Cormier som varit tungviktsmästare i Strikeforce.
– Johny Hendricks is a way better wrestler than GSP, Johny Hendricks has way, way more power than GSP, and Johny Hendricks has a far, far, far better chin than GSP. Clearly, Johny Hendricks doesn’t stand a chance of pulling off the upset against GSP, säger Forrest Griffin som varit mästare i lätt tungvikt.
– I think Hendricks is really going to make GSP fight. GSP is a great, great fighter. And he really can fight, but he prefers not to and to think his way to victory. Johny won’t allow that to happen. I will say I thought all this before the last fight GSP fought Josh Koscheck, but I think the pace Johny fights at, how hard he hits with each shot, and how much he seems to want this makes this the most interesting GSP fight in years, anser forne mästaren Chuck Liddell.
– My money is on the upset. GSP is the greatest ever, but Hendricks is the most dangerous opponent GSP has faced in years. Hendricks has the best wrestling credentials in the UFC on paper, and has that one-punch KO power. GSP has the advantage over five rounds, but I see Hendricks finishing the fight early, tror obesegrade britten Luke Barnatt.
– I’d definitely give Hendricks a shot against GSP – he’s a great wrestler with powerful striking. I’m really looking forward to seeing this fight, säger Jimi Manuwa.
– GSP is the better fighter, overall, but Johny is the biggest puncher, pound-for-pound, in the sport. Maybe it is because we have the same nutritionist, Mike Dolce, but I think Johny wins the belt by knockout in the second round. Johny is going to get taken down, right away, but if Johny keeps calm, keeps going for the knockout and doesn’t get frustrated, he will land that shot, säger Nik Lentz.
– I hate to go against my wrestling brother Johny Hendricks, but I think GSP might get him. Hendricks is definitely a tough nut to crack for him, but I think in a five-round fight, those fourth and fifth rounds could be a problem for Johny. Georges is always in shape and he’s fought five rounds a bunch of times, so I’ve got to go with the champ on this one, säger Jason High som tävlar på galans underkort.
– For this fight I would tell Hendricks to go out and take the fight to Georges, don’t wait for him, be first to do everything. I definitely think Hendricks can defeat Georges. He has scary power; he just has to make sure he uses it early in the fight, säger Ross Pearson.
– If I was a betting man I’d put my money on Hendricks. He has the finishing power that we’ve seen has caught GSP out before when he fought Matt Serra. We could be in for another Matt Serra upset. When it comes to tactics, GSP is the best he studies his opponents in so much detail. If Hendricks can keep unpredictable then he could outsmart GSP. My prediction would be GSP decision or Hendricks KO, säger Brad Pickett.
I videon nedan kan man även se och höra vad vissa av kollegorna tänker om nattens match mellan Georges St-Pierre och Johny Hendricks.
