MMA  > Fight Club  > GSP vs. Penn rematch
November 24, 2008, 09:26 AM
Both are champs, and this time, a title is on the line. Can B.J. Penn overcome Georges St. Pierre and defend two UFC titles at once? Or will GSP fend off Penn to retain the welterweight crown?
November 24, 2008  10:55 AM ET

BJ is at the top of his game now. GSP may be too, but in comparing the fighters, I think BJ at his peak is better than GSP at his. We will see in 2 months...

November 24, 2008  12:10 PM ET

GSP always looks pretty solid.... this will be interesting!~

November 24, 2008  01:51 PM ET

It's a close one, for sure.

Got to give the edge for BJ on the ground and for GSP on the feet.

In the end, it may come down to cardio.

I give a slight edge to GSP, but I wouldn't bet money on this one.

November 24, 2008  02:35 PM ET

yeah def stamina and cardio .. sometimes BJ scares me when he starts to look gassed....

November 24, 2008  02:46 PM ET

This one is such a toss up, part of what makes it great.

I disagree with Hyped78. If you look at their first fight, BJ won on the feet and lost on the ground. It's almost counter intuitive, but BJ's always had good hands and hits harder than GSP. On the ground, GSP controlled him from the top and ground and pounded him (though he didn't do much damage). GSP came away looking like he'd been through a meat grinder, and BJ was unscathed, but was so gassed he couldn't do anything. Cardio was the deciding factor, and that's where BJ has made the most progress. I think GSP is still good enough when he's on top that BJ won't be able to sub him. I don't think there's a way in hell that BJ can take GSP down, so if he's going to get on top it'll have to be via a sweep or scramble, which could happen. I can't remember ever seeing GSP on his back, so you'd have to say BJ's in control if that happens, but I wonder if he could keep him there. I think GSP's tremendous strength advantage may be the difference in this fight, but BJ could very easily get the TKO. Man it's going to be great to find out.

November 24, 2008  02:55 PM ET

No clew, but can't say that bugs me. This is going to be a great fight. I'll be pulling for GSP, but certainly won't be upset if Baby J comes out on top. Either way, it should be a war.

November 24, 2008  04:11 PM ET

pullin for bj, but i cant make a prediction on this one, too close to call, this is gonna be an instant classic, you cant dream of a better fight than this

November 24, 2008  04:22 PM ET

Hmmmm...if Penn comes in shape and with the right mind set it will be a very close fight. I can't really say who will win but my gut instinct says GSP.

November 24, 2008  05:44 PM ET

St. Pierre at his best might be the best in MMA and B.J. is as talented as any fighter in the business but I don't have to worry about St. Pierre being ready to go 5 rounds and I do have to worry about Penn. He's also fighting at his natural weight and B.J. is moving up 15 lbs for the fight. Someone made a comment about Penn having enough power to knock GSP out i don't see it ... matter of fact I can't recall him knocking out anybody at that weight ... maybe at 155. It will be competitive but St. Pierre is a tireless working and a physical specimen. He's also been fighting the better guys at 170 and dominating. He won't be denied his destiny sorry B.J. wrong time wrong place.

November 24, 2008  08:06 PM ET

BJ Penn is a top of the food chain fighter at 155 he will be chubby at 170. St Pierre is physically to big for Penn. St Pierre's wrestling skills have become top notch training with the Canadian national team and that should be the difference. Penn"s a great fighter but unfortunately a legend in his own mind. Penn should be worrying about defending his lightweight title against Florian, because he will have his hands full.

November 24, 2008  11:42 PM ET

GSP has evolved since their first fight that could have gone either way. Yet so has Penn. Penn seems to have become far more serious about his conditioning since then. I think though he is crazy if he thinks he is going to be able to defend both titles if he happens to beat GSP the constant weight gain and loss will take its toll on him. I think he has the stand up game to beat GSP no so much with one punch power but with the ability to rain punches unanswered. He is a BJJ master so it will be interesting to see what BJ's BJJ and GSP's wrestling can do against each other. In the end I would say if it goes 5 GSP wins but if it doesn't it will be Penn.

November 25, 2008  12:16 AM ET

Too close to call both of the fighters are very good.

November 25, 2008  12:17 AM ET
QUOTE(#10):

BJ Penn is a top of the food chain fighter at 155 he will be chubby at 170. St Pierre is physically to big for Penn. St Pierre's wrestling skills have become top notch training with the Canadian national team and that should be the difference. Penn"s a great fighter but unfortunately a legend in his own mind. Penn should be worrying about defending his lightweight title against Florian, because he will have his hands full.

You are right he should focus on Kenny Florian.

November 25, 2008  02:47 AM ET
QUOTE(#9):

St. Pierre at his best might be the best in MMA and B.J. is as talented as any fighter in the business but I don't have to worry about St. Pierre being ready to go 5 rounds and I do have to worry about Penn. He's also fighting at his natural weight and B.J. is moving up 15 lbs for the fight.

Great points... St. Pierre is a type of freak in some ways. He's a very long lean but deceptively strong fighter at 170. The thing that shocks me, is not only is he a good fighter, but his raw strength as demonstrated when he had his way against Matt Hughes from ANY position is surprising for a guy built so slender.

Conversely, I don't think BJ Penn is the type of guy who would use the extra 15 lbs. as an advantage. There are some fighters based on their build and height and natural tone would become much stronger and punch heavier when they move up in weight, BJ isn't one of them. But with that said, BJ Penn from the beginning has always been electrically talented. More so than GSP. And Penn can end a fight in more ways than GSP I believe.

I believe on paper GSP looks great to win this one. But BJ has those intangibles that champions use to always win.

November 25, 2008  08:22 AM ET
QUOTE(#14):

St. Pierre is a type of freak in some ways. He's a very long lean but deceptively strong fighter at 170. The thing that shocks me, is not only is he a good fighter, but his raw strength as demonstrated when he had his way against Matt Hughes from ANY position is surprising for a guy built so slender.

Have you actually seen St. Pierre? I would not characterize him as slender and deceptively strong. His legs are HUGE and powerful (especially for a guy 5'10, 170ish), and his upper body is muscular (yes, it is lean muscle, but you can tell it is very strong) with no excess flab. How can you be shocked by his power? Whenever I see him in the cage, the first thing I think is how strong and athletic he looks.

November 25, 2008  08:40 AM ET
QUOTE(#13):

You are right he should focus on Kenny Florian.

Uhhh...he will have plenty of time AFTER the GSP fight to focus on and train for Kenny Florian. BJ shouldn't even spend one second thinking about Florian (and I'm sure he won't) until his fight with GSP is done.

Florian is definitely the best challenger at 155, but I can't see him dethroning BJ...unless BJ loses to GSP and gets depressed and unfocused...then Florian may have a shot.

November 25, 2008  10:06 AM ET

GSP is driven and is the Jerry Rice of MMA - training 24/7 to be the best. However, BJ Penn is the Babe Ruth of MMA - a bit out of shape but the purest, most natural athlete of the game. That being said, I think if BJ takes GSP for granted he will loose, but I think since he lost the first fight he has taken his training very serious. In their first fight BJ destroyed GSP in the first round, and then for two rounds he let GSP take him down and he defended from his back trying to get his wind and submit GSP. That did not happen because GSP kept pushing things on the ground so BJ never got his wind back, but GSP never even came close to doing anything to BJ that made it look like he had BJ in trouble. I like GSP but his training will not beat BJ's natural talent especially now that BJ is working on his cardio.

November 25, 2008  12:46 PM ET

This will be a close fight, and is probably going to descision again. Only this time it will be unanimous for GSP. Though I'd probably rather have Penn win so I can see a 3rd fight.

November 25, 2008  02:47 PM ET
QUOTE(#17):

GSP is driven and is the Jerry Rice of MMA - training 24/7 to be the best. However, BJ Penn is the Babe Ruth of MMA - a bit out of shape but the purest, most natural athlete of the game. That being said, I think if BJ takes GSP for granted he will loose, but I think since he lost the first fight he has taken his training very serious. In their first fight BJ destroyed GSP in the first round, and then for two rounds he let GSP take him down and he defended from his back trying to get his wind and submit GSP. That did not happen because GSP kept pushing things on the ground so BJ never got his wind back, but GSP never even came close to doing anything to BJ that made it look like he had BJ in trouble. I like GSP but his training will not beat BJ's natural talent especially now that BJ is working on his cardio.

St. Pierre has more natural physical talent than anyone in the sport. The only way i see him losing this fight is if he makes a mistake and gets submitted. He's gonna push the pace and make B.J. prove that his cardio truly has improved. For all this talk about his new and improved conditioning I've yet to see him go 5 and I've yet to see him go against someone who'll force him to fight at the kind of pace to test him. Georges is the most well rounded fighter in the sport. Its gonna be a good fight but I'd be shocked if GSP doesn't leave with the belt after the **** whooping he gave Fitch. Greg Jackson will come up with the gameplan and Georges will come out and once again prove why he should be the consensus #1 fighter in the sport ...Feel the Rush.

 
November 25, 2008  05:43 PM ET

I dont think going to a decision is an **** whopping, fitch didn't even look all that beat up, GSP just outwrestled him...Fitch is not near the JJ technician that BJ is...
as for BJ not having gone 5 rds...what figthter would go 5 rds if they didn't have to? I guarantee you that if GSP could've finished Fitch at all, he would have. But he couldn't, so they kept fighting until the end.
Bottom line: GSP-Penn II will be a true superfight that we haven't seen in since liddell-couture...
GSP is crazy good and so is BJ; i'm not sure the weight will have that much of an impact...go back and watch the Machida-penn fight, machida came in at 205-210 and bj fought him to a standstill...should've gone to bj in my opinion. And that was before BJ rededicated himself...this will be a great fight, but i like BJ in this one; however, i am biased.
shaka!

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