Can't wait for Sat. night....will this be the night that matt Hughes goes down?? I hope so....
Quote:
St. Pierre looks to topple Matt Hughes
NEIL DAVIDSON
Canadian Press
Montreal — At 25, handsome and polite, Georges St. Pierre could break your heart.
And your arm. And your leg.
St. Pierre is the Canadian poster boy of mixed martial arts, a hybrid sport that requires expertise in boxing, wrestling and jiu-jitsu. The Montreal welterweight is smart, sleek and athletic — and Saturday night he can become UFC world champion with a win over veteran Matt Hughes.
St. Pierre, 12-1 as an MMA fighter, says it's his time.
"No doubt, no doubt," St. Pierre said confidently after battering a sparring partner in the boxing ring at an east Montreal gym.
"I have never been so focused, so mentally and physically well-prepared."
A win and St. Pierre will join Carlos Newton of Newmarket, Ont., as the only Canadian ever to hold a UFC title.
Standing in his way is Hughes, a fighting farmer from Hillsboro, Ill., who has won 19 of his last 20 fights — including a 2004 victory over St. Pierre — while raising his record to 42-4. Hughes knows all about Canadians, having defeated Newton twice in title fights.
Hughes and St. Pierre are headlining UFC 65: Bad Intentions (available on pay-per-view) at Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The two 170-pounders were slated to meet last month, but St. Pierre was sidelined with a pulled groin tendon.
The 33-year-old Hughes is a God-fearing, Stars-and-Stripes-loving, savvy competitor who at this stage of his career is actually looking for opponents to challenge him.
Hughes is very good at what he does and knows it.
He began as a wrestler but has since improved all aspects of his game. Today, he is a one-man wrecking crew who deals in pain and submission. While the odd crack has shown in his hitherto aura of invincibility, he always survives and seems to be getting better as he gets older.
"He's getting better, but I got better too," said St. Pierre. "And I think I have improved more since then than him. We will find out."
St. Pierre's training partners talk of his athleticism, all-round talents and what a class act he is.
Alex Dyas, a Canadian junior wrestling champion, has been grappling with St. Pierre for four years. He remembers when St. Pierre first came around, the wrestlers had their way with him.
"It didn't take Georges long, maybe a year, and he was holding his own against most people. And definitely taking it to me," said the 20-year-old Dyas, who was 10th at the world junior wrestling championship earlier this year.
"He's incredibly strong and flexible."
Nate Marquardt, a fellow UFC fighter brought in to spar with St. Pierre, says the Canadian is the real deal.
"St. Pierre is like a diamond in the rough. It's very area to find someone as good as him in every area."
While everyone praises St. Pierre's physical attributes, some have questioned the mental side of his game — which seems somewhat unfair considering he has only lost once. And that was to Hughes.
Hughes and St. Pierre first met in the ring two years ago at UFC 50: The War of 04, with a young St. Pierre declaring he was going to "shock the world." Hughes dismissed the challenger by saying he wasn't mentally strong enough to take him.
The Montrealer held his own in the first round, taking Hughes down and then stunning him with a spinning side kick. St. Pierre also managed to get back off the ground when Hughes, a superb wrestler, took him down.
But St. Pierre was taken down again late in the round and, from an exposed position, tried for a submission hold. Hughes reversed it, stepping over him and slapping on an armbar. The Canadian tapped out almost instantly, rather than have his arm bent any further in the wrong direction, with one second remaining in the first round.
The suspicion at the time was Hughes had got into St. Pierre's head. At the time, the Canadian considered Hughes "a monument in the sport" and post-fight footage made him look like a kid trying to get the champ's autograph.
"The first time I fought Matt Hughes, I gave him too much respect," acknowledged St. Pierre. "Now I see him as an opponent, not like the guy I was looking up to. So it's going to change everything."
St. Pierre and Hughes have each won four fights since then, with both notching a victory over former champion B.J. Penn.
Marquardt says the mental game will decide Saturday's fight.
"As long as he's there mentally, he's going to beat Matt Hughes. I think he's going to beat him in every area."
Predictably, those close to Hughes see a different result.
"I think he's really going to pick apart St. Pierre, get into his head and beat him up," said heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, a friend who trains out of the same camp as Hughes.
The six-foot-eight Sylvia defends his title against Jeff (The Snowman) Monson in Saturday night's co-main event.
St. Pierre says when the cage door closes for his fights, emotion is not a problem. He says he is totally calm, mechanical.
"I have no emotions whatever. . . . because when you fight with emotions you make mistakes."
While St. Pierre respects Hughes, it's probably fair to say he doesn't think much of him outside the ring.
Hughes is a master at getting under someone's skin.
He sees it as teasing. St. Pierre sees it as arrogance.
"He was very rude, he said a lot of bad things about me," said the Quebecer, who has a fleur-de-lis tattooed on his right calf. "But I don't take it personal, I think he just tried to build up the show, build up the fight.
"When you talk too much, if you lose, you look stupid. He's just going to get embarrassed when I beat him."
Hughes and St. Pierre crossed paths in coaching roles on Season 4 of the UFC's Ultimate Fighter reality TV show. Hughes wasted few opportunities not to take shots at St. Pierre, telling him during a dinner out that he would teach him how to defend an armbar — the submission hold he applied on the Canadian to win their bout.
St. Pierre even opted not to go to the gym on days when Hughes was coaching. While he saw it as the high road, some saw it as the champion winning the latest round of mind games.
In an attempt to play up their rivalry ahead of Saturday's fight, the UFC has used a clip of St. Pierre grabbing the microphone in the ring and having a go at the champion after Hughes' recent win over Penn.
"I am very glad you won that fight Matt, but I was not impressed by your performance and I look forward to fighting you in the near future," St. Pierre said at the time.
Hughes and his camp were not impressed, and an angry Hughes pulled St. Pierre close in the ring to tell him so.
It turned out that St. Pierre, a spectator at the fight, had misheard Hughes' post-fight comments and though he was being disrespected. He went to the champion's dressing room 20 minutes later to apologize.
"It made me look bad," St. Pierre said in an interview. "I made a mistake, I apologized like a man."
Hughes has mouthed off in the past. In the leadup to their first fight, he said he wasn't about to lose to a Canadian. And St. Pierre says he has been critical of the French.
"He's been very arrogant with me, but to tell you the truth I do my talking in the Octagon with my fists. I don't do my talking with my mouth outside of it."
While he is the No. 1 contender in the UFC, St. Pierre is not making megabucks yet. He is due to earn US$40,000 for the Hughes fight, with another $40,000 if he wins. He is under contract for one more fight after that with the UFC.
St. Pierre indulged himself recently by purchasing a Nissan Xterra SUV. But he has also invested his winnings in sparring partners, bringing in the likes of Marquardt, Keith Jardine, Rashad Evans and Joey Villasenor ahead of the Hughes fight.
The Montrealer is down to earth, his boxing club of choice a seedy second-floor gym oozing with character and crammed with posters featuring the likes of Ali, Foreman and Leonard.
He wrestles at the YMHA, where a wet broom on the floor at the door serves to moisten athletes' shoes before they hit the mat. Always the gentleman, St. Pierre politely steps aside to make way for youngsters as they rush through the door.
Single, St. Pierre focuses full time on fighting — spending one week every month in New York training with jiu-jitsu master Renzo Gracie — although he's an avid movie buff and enjoys hockey. The Edmonton Oilers are his first love but he also cheers for his hometown Montreal Canadiens and counts Phoenix enforcer Georges Laraque among his friends.
After each bout, he allows himself a week off — usually on a sun-drenched island somewhere.
Here's betting he's popular wherever he goes. Fighting for a living has not spoiled St. Pierre's good looks.
"I try to keep my hand up," he says with a laugh.
Look closely, however, and his left ear is beginning to exhibit the tell-tale signs of a wrestler. It looks like someone has taken a pair of pliers to it.
More often, he's the one leaving a mark.
Just ask Martin Germain, a fledgling 140-pound pro boxer who bore the brunt of St. Pierre's blows in an sparring session last week. St. Pierre wasn't even going at 100 per cent.
"He still hits hard," Germain, sucking in air through a mouthguard, said through an interpreter at the Club de Boxe Champions.
"If he turns it on, it's gonna hurt."
__________________
Robert dos Remedios, MA, CSCS,
HCC (Hartman-Cosgrove Certified)
Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning
College of the Canyons, CA http://www.canyons.edu/departments/pe/strength
"NO CHAMPION HAS EVER ACHIEVED HIS OR HER GOAL WITHOUT SHOWING MORE DEDICATION THAN THE NEXT PERSON; MAKING MORE SACRIFICES THAN THE NEXT PERSON; WORKING HARDER, TRAINING, AND CONDITIONING HIM / HERSELF MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON; ENJOYING HIS / HER FINAL GOAL MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON"
__________________
Robert dos Remedios, MA, CSCS,
HCC (Hartman-Cosgrove Certified)
Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning
College of the Canyons, CA http://www.canyons.edu/departments/pe/strength
"NO CHAMPION HAS EVER ACHIEVED HIS OR HER GOAL WITHOUT SHOWING MORE DEDICATION THAN THE NEXT PERSON; MAKING MORE SACRIFICES THAN THE NEXT PERSON; WORKING HARDER, TRAINING, AND CONDITIONING HIM / HERSELF MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON; ENJOYING HIS / HER FINAL GOAL MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON"
I'm more in the Hughes camp than GSP, but if Georges wins I'd like to see him get a stoppage in the late rounds -- after getting pummelled himself.
BJ Penn was the first person I'd ever seen inflict damage on GSP. He fought through it, but he needs to fight through one of those episodes like Hughes did when Trigg almost got the stoppage in their second fight.
In any case, this is the UFC fight of the year in my mind. Can't wait!
__________________
If warped values are the price of a vicarious thrill, so be it! - Calvin and Hobbes
I'm going for Hughes on this one, but GSP is probably going to push him. Which is great I think. If GSP wins then that's great. I think the title will have been turned over to another stand up guy and one that will go far in the sport.
The instructor that runs the MMA program at my gym has rolled with GSP and said he has the strongest grip of anyone he's ever faced, like a vice. This guy said GSP seems "unnaturally" strong.
I don't know about all that but am pulling for GSP too.
__________________
Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
I had only read once before a bit about GSP and this last season Ultimate Fighter really helped in seeing a bit more about him. From what I saw, GSP is a gracious individual and he really wanted to do his best in training the competitors on the show.
That says a lot about someone. When Hughes was trying to stir things up, GSP sat back and didn't go to that (low) level. That says something a bit more about his character.
In the end: I want GSP to win. I always like it when the nice guys are victorious anyways.
Im not sure how Hughes will do when his opponent sets a high pace, normally Matt sets the pace but its slower, and methodical. If Georgie can push his fast paced game I think Matt is in for it.
We should have some sort of friendly wager. Maybe if Hughes wins, all you GSP fans will have to eat a Matt Hughes "Country Breakfast" for a solid week!
You in? Huh? Huh?
__________________
If warped values are the price of a vicarious thrill, so be it! - Calvin and Hobbes
We should have some sort of friendly wager. Maybe if Hughes wins, all you GSP fans will have to eat a Matt Hughes "Country Breakfast" for a solid week!
You in? Huh? Huh?
what would this country breakfast consist of and what for the Hughes fans?
We should have some sort of friendly wager. Maybe if Hughes wins, all you GSP fans will have to eat a Matt Hughes "Country Breakfast" for a solid week!
You in? Huh? Huh?
As long as it's food and not a metaphor for a meadow muffin or something I'm in. lol
Hey, does anyone know if GSP gets his nickname because he's from Canada like the band Rush (the greatest band in the world) or is that just a coincidence?
What if you are a huge Huges fan, but just happend to be a huge GSP fan as well and want to see GSP win for what one coujld only describe as a wet dream of a rubber match for dana white.
What if you are a huge Huges fan, but just happend to be a huge GSP fan as well and want to see GSP win for what one coujld only describe as a wet dream of a rubber match for dana white.
And a WET dream for Biotest! Xyience WHO?!?!
__________________
Robert dos Remedios, MA, CSCS,
HCC (Hartman-Cosgrove Certified)
Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning
College of the Canyons, CA http://www.canyons.edu/departments/pe/strength
"NO CHAMPION HAS EVER ACHIEVED HIS OR HER GOAL WITHOUT SHOWING MORE DEDICATION THAN THE NEXT PERSON; MAKING MORE SACRIFICES THAN THE NEXT PERSON; WORKING HARDER, TRAINING, AND CONDITIONING HIM / HERSELF MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON; ENJOYING HIS / HER FINAL GOAL MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON"
Even if I did favor Hughes I'd have to go for GSP solely because of all that extremely lame Xyience product placement in that preview show. Did you guys catch Hughe's stocked fridge? Total amateur hour there.
__________________
Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
Even if I did favor Hughes I'd have to go for GSP solely because of all that extremely lame Xyience product placement in that preview show. Did you guys catch Hughe's stocked fridge? Total amateur hour there.
Ya, Xyience's marketing is pretty lame. I can't even stand that commercial with the girl dancing around after she drinks the energy drink. It's such a lame commercial. And that's saying a lot coming from a guy that's normally a fan of scantilly clad girls dancing around.
Manners maketh the man - I hope Hughes gets his toys rolled, but unfortunately it's better to be lucky than good as he has proven often (not that he's not good but you know what I mean)
__________________
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -- Sidney J. Harris
Ya, Xyience's marketing is pretty lame. I can't even stand that commercial with the girl dancing around after she drinks the energy drink. It's such a lame commercial. And that's saying a lot coming from a guy that's normally a fan of scantilly clad girls dancing around.
__________________
Robert dos Remedios, MA, CSCS,
HCC (Hartman-Cosgrove Certified)
Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning
College of the Canyons, CA http://www.canyons.edu/departments/pe/strength
"NO CHAMPION HAS EVER ACHIEVED HIS OR HER GOAL WITHOUT SHOWING MORE DEDICATION THAN THE NEXT PERSON; MAKING MORE SACRIFICES THAN THE NEXT PERSON; WORKING HARDER, TRAINING, AND CONDITIONING HIM / HERSELF MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON; ENJOYING HIS / HER FINAL GOAL MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON"
Manners maketh the man - I hope Hughes gets his toys rolled, but unfortunately it's better to be lucky than good as he has proven often (not that he's not good but you know what I mean)
Ya, we know what you mean. Like that match with Carlos Newton.
Ya, I never said she isn't hot. She's smokin'. But that commercial annoys the hell out of me. Of course it doesn't help they show it during every commercial break during UFC shows on Spike.
Hmmmm....never really noticed the skin color...might just be the reflection of all those flames!
__________________
Robert dos Remedios, MA, CSCS,
HCC (Hartman-Cosgrove Certified)
Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning
College of the Canyons, CA http://www.canyons.edu/departments/pe/strength
"NO CHAMPION HAS EVER ACHIEVED HIS OR HER GOAL WITHOUT SHOWING MORE DEDICATION THAN THE NEXT PERSON; MAKING MORE SACRIFICES THAN THE NEXT PERSON; WORKING HARDER, TRAINING, AND CONDITIONING HIM / HERSELF MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON; ENJOYING HIS / HER FINAL GOAL MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON"
Is it just me or does GSP look larger and more jacked?
__________________
Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
__________________
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -- Sidney J. Harris
WTF....is it just me or are there times when Hughes comes into his fights looking like he's going to be the next underwear model? There was another fight that I looked at the pictures, perhaps against GSP, and he just looked down right skinny. I hope this is just the camera angle or else he's got his work cut out for him.
Go GSP!!
Like that match with Carlos Newton.
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