If GSP wasn't the champ, would he get a title shot?

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: LighthouseKeeper
Date: March 24, 2013 at 07:45 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

Just like the title says... I've been wondering this ever since 158, and another dominant performance by GSP. If there was another fighter at the top of the WW division (obviously hypothetical), and if GSP was employing his current strategy, do you think he would be given a title shot?

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: mabrown45
Date: March 24, 2013 at 08:22 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

it all depends......in this hypothetical world would this be GSP's first or second title shot?
actually it wouldn't matter as long as GSP still brought in the numbers.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Python
Date: March 24, 2013 at 08:32 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

Yea although he lacks the finish, his personality is very marketable... Just ask the grown men who are GSP Stans.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Shin to the Chin
Date: March 24, 2013 at 08:44 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

GSP is a hero in Canada, so boring or not yes he would.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Spidy
Date: March 24, 2013 at 09:05 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

This is a joke.....I'm waiting for the punch line.....
Cause if its not The answer is obvious. Just as obvious with same ???? about Bones or the Spider
I'm still waiting for the punch line?

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Puxin
Date: March 25, 2013 at 01:13 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

He would need to put together a pretty good win streak, preferably against some ranked opponents.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: MoJoJo
Date: March 25, 2013 at 09:03 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

I say it depends on who the champ is at the time.
Edit: depend on the champ at the time and if they have already fought and how he did against him. I see it being a Fitch type of situation.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Sedulous
Date: March 25, 2013 at 10:03 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

If GSP wasn't the champ he wouldn't be fighting the very best guys so finishes would be much easier to come by. Also the guys he would be fighting, wouldn't be training like they were fighting the best guy in the world. I think everyone invests more money and trains more carefully when it's for a title. There are too many variables to assume if GSP wasn't champ his last 6 fights would look exactly the same.
Also, you say "his current strategy" like he goes out and does the exact same thing every time, which isn't accurate. Examining his title defenses shows different fights each time because each opponent is different and requires a different strategy. The outcome is the same only because the guys are typically the second toughest guy in the division, fighting more cautiously because they are fighting the champ, and are in the best shape of their entire career. Stoppages are typically harder to come by in championship fights. If GSP wasn't champ, I think his decision-to-stoppage ratio in the UFC would look similar to Johny Hendricks, about 1-1.
So ya, GSP would get a title shot and probably more easily than other guys since he's more marketable than any of them. The UFC would be clamoring to make him champion.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: imhungry4444
Date: March 25, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

The fact is GSP has canada on his side, he has a nuthugger fanbase. While no one cares about fitch :/

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: MacWombat
Date: March 25, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

Sedulous said:
If GSP wasn't the champ he wouldn't be fighting the very best guys so finishes would be much easier to come by. Also the guys he would be fighting, wouldn't be training like they were fighting the best guy in the world. I think everyone invests more money and trains more carefully when it's for a title. There are too many variables to assume if GSP wasn't champ his last 6 fights would look exactly the same.
Also, you say "his current strategy" like he goes out and does the exact same thing every time, which isn't accurate. Examining his title defenses shows different fights each time because each opponent is different and requires a different strategy. The outcome is the same only because the guys are typically the second toughest guy in the division, fighting more cautiously because they are fighting the champ, and are in the best shape of their entire career. Stoppages are typically harder to come by in championship fights. If GSP wasn't champ, I think his decision-to-stoppage ratio in the UFC would look similar to Johny Hendricks, about 1-1.
So ya, GSP would get a title shot and probably more easily than other guys since he's more marketable than any of them. The UFC would be clamoring to make him champion.
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I agree, I think he would be finishing lower ranked guys, but I also don't think it would matter. It's one thing if you find GSP boring (not you you, general you), but to say he and Fitch offer the same level of excitement is oversimplification at best and more likely just biased rambling at worst. He'd get the title shot because he'd beat everybody on the path to it. Even if he had similar performances to Hardy - Diaz, it would still be more dominating than Fitch ever was AND he'd actually be winning against the better opponents, unlike Jon Fitch.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Sedulous
Date: March 25, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

MacWombat said:
I agree, I think he would be finishing lower ranked guys, but I also don't think it would matter. It's one thing if you find GSP boring (not you you, general you), but to say he and Fitch offer the same level of excitement is oversimplification at best and more likely just biased rambling at worst. He'd get the title shot because he'd beat everybody on the path to it. Even if he had similar performances to Hardy - Diaz, it would still be more dominating than Fitch ever was AND he'd actually be winning against the better opponents, unlike Jon Fitch.
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Agreed and he'd be winning far more convincingly than anyone else. Johny Hendricks, for example, had a couple of flash KOs but he also has some very close decisions than could have easily gone to the other guy. I don't think any of GSPs fights would be close.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: MacWombat
Date: March 25, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

Sedulous said:
Agreed and he'd be winning far more convincingly than anyone else. Johny Hendricks, for example, had a couple of flash KOs but he also has some very close decisions than could have easily gone to the other guy. I don't think any of GSPs fights would be close.
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True, GSP's road back to the title fight against Koscheck was apparently better than Hendrick's fight against Koscheck (I didn't see the latter).

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Sedulous
Date: March 25, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

MacWombat said:
True, GSP's road back to the title fight against Koscheck was apparently better than Hendrick's fight against Koscheck (I didn't see the latter).
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I think GSP first fight against Kos was against a better version of Kos too. GSP lost one round on 2 judges scorecards but I had him winning all three rounds. Johny has been fortunate in his UFC run so far. If he had to rematch some of these guys or had to fight them for five rounds, I wouldn't pick Johny. Particularly if he rematched Fitch or fought Condit in a five rounder.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: MacWombat
Date: March 25, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

Sedulous said:
I think GSP first fight against Kos was against a better version of Kos too. GSP lost one round on 2 judges scorecards but I had him winning all three rounds. Johny has been fortunate in his UFC run so far. If he had to rematch some of these guys or had to fight them for five rounds, I wouldn't pick Johny. Particularly if he rematched Fitch or fought Condit in a five rounder.
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I'd still pick him over Fitch, but otherwise I agree. The ironic thing about Fitch is that he doesn't know how to beat his own strategy.

 

[Nastycrow]

Originally posted by: Sedulous
Date: March 25, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Source: https://forum.mmajunkie.com/threads/if-gsp-wasnt-the-champ-would-he-get-a-title-shot.53168/

MacWombat said:
I'd still pick him over Fitch, but otherwise I agree. The ironic thing about Fitch is that he doesn't know how to beat his own strategy.
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I think Fitch's most obvious weakness is his defensive wrestling. It's trash. That's why a guy like Penn was able to Fitch Fitch.