GSP – ACL’s and Ring Rust

GSP – ACL’s and Ring Rust

(an article by the Coffee Boy) 

         After being out of action for about a year and a half, UFC Welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre will be facing UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit. Questions about his knee, ring rust, and his mindset come into question and GSP is out to prove that he is back better than ever.

         After facing Jake Shields last year and successfully defending his title against him, he was set to face the Stockton native Nick Diaz. After sustaining an ACL injury to his right knee, he was sidelined and was replaced by Carlos Condit. The two men would fight for the interim title and Condit came out on top.

         After finally getting the green light from his medical team, GSP has been preparing himself for what many consider one of his toughest fights to date in Condit. Couple that with the fact that he has been out of action for so long and has just gone through extensive rehab for his knee, it looks like it could be an uphill battle for the champion.

         GSP is known for being a very intelligent fighter, studying his opponents very well and always executing near-perfect game-plans. Despite many MMA fans criticizing him for his “safe” approach, often resulting in decision-wins, it has worked to his advantage and has secured him as one of the elite in MMA today.

         While many have shown concern for the champions injury and how he will bounce back, the fact of the matter is that he surrounds himself with some of the best in the industry and I believe there should be little doubt about how he will come back. According to GSP, he is back better than ever and often when he says something like this, he is correct.

         After being submitted by Matt Hughes back in 2004, GSP came back and defeated him in a rematch in dominating fashion. To settle the score, he faced him in a rubber match and this time submitted him. A similar story lies with rivalry against Matt Sera. He has proven that he often comes back much better than he does previously, and I believe the same applies to his physical well-being.

         Another issue many people bring up is what is known as “ring rust”. This refers to a fighter coming back in a match after having taken off an extended amount of time. Several notable fighters who have suffered from ring rust have been Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Tito Ortiz, and Mark Coleman.

         While ring rust is definitely something some fighters suffer from, one wonders how much it will affect Georges St. Pierre. Keep in mind that a huge part of his game-planning in all of his fights is the mental aspect. Chances are he has prepared himself for it, and has made ready the adjustments that need be done.

         What makes GSP stand out is the way he is able to force his opponents into his world. He is able to take you down and hold you there, he is able to stuff takedowns, and he can certainly throw a pretty heavy punch.

         Am I saying he will definitely beat Carlos Condit this weekend? No. He What I am saying is that he certainly stands a good chance – win or lose, expect a fully recovered, healthy, and ready GSP. Condit has his hands full this weekend – GSP is back.