[Gunny]

I've been thinking lately about the defining fights in GSP's carreer and I think I may have spotted a trend. The general perception on this site is that GSP is a class-act, not prone to trash talking and respectful of his opponents. I don't disagree with this assesment but I've noticed an alarming pattern in GSP's big fights.

Looking at GSP's two loses and his two greatest victories we seen the pattern. Before GSP/Trigg and GSP/Hughes 2 there was an excessive amount of trash talking with Trigg calling GSP a sub-par fighter and Hughes making fun of GSPs nationality and lack of armbar defense. George seemed to take genuine offense and, subsiquently, gave his opponents two of the most thorough beatings he's ever administered. These were the two greatest victories of his career.

On the other hand, GSP/Serra and GSP/Hughes 1 were pre-fight lovefests with Serra gushing about what a "sweetheart" George is (puke) and George gushing about how Matt Hughes was his hero growing up and what a huge honor it was to be able to fight him. Obviously we know how those fights went.

While GSP seems like a genuinly good person I can't help but notice that "Angry George" is a far better fighter than "Nice George." If Kos goes into their fight as his normal trash talking self he maybe in for a world of hurt. On the other hand he could take a page out of Serra's book and, well, you how that goes...

[Provocateur]

I agree. GSP didn't have as much to prove in the Serra fight as he did in the Hughes fight whick may have caused him not to train as hard or not take the fight seriously. However I am not making any excuses...he lost.

[Mr. Montana]

Thread starter has some good points. Agreed, let's hope Kos runs his mouth as usual and really pisses GSP off.

[genuspriest]

imagine GSP turning green, "you don't want to make me angry!!!"

if only I had photoshop skills...

[sandviper]

Originally Posted by genuspriest

imagine GSP turning green, "you don't want to make me angry!!!"

if only I had photoshop skills...

LMAO!!! I don't know if being nice really had much to do with his two losses, but I agree the pissed GSP prior to his Hughes rematch was a different GSP we've seen in his previous and post fight.

[Gunny]

Originally Posted by genuspriest

imagine GSP turning green, "you don't want to make me angry!!!"

if only I had photoshop skills...

I was thinking the same thing as I was typing

[Gunny]

Another thing I remember from the the GSP/Serra pre fight PR is that GSP said that he likes Matt Serra but that he is not his friend, that he would never fight a friend. This seems to show, in principle at least, that GSP's gameness is somehow connected to his feelings about his opponent. He's not a guy like Hendo or Lindland who would gladly fight eachother and then go for beers afterwards.

This outlook certainly isn't unique to George as many fighters need to generate some kind of animosity toward their opponent (remember Randy's comments about Sylvia). Where George may have a problem is that he doesn't like to instigate the hard feelings. By nature, he's too nice a guy to start shit even though he may, at times, need it to perform at his best.

[MisGuidedAngel]

Originally Posted by genuspriest

imagine GSP turning green, "you don't want to make me angry!!!"

if only I had photoshop skills...

nice thats funny

[Gunny]

Does anyone remember the pre-fight hype for GSP/Penn? I count that fight among GSP's worst outings but I don't remember what the buzz was going into the fight. Were they hurling insults or was it another lovefest?

[CanadianTopTeam]

perhaps we should send GSP emails calling him frenchie and signed by KOS....hmmm...