Monday, December 13, 2010

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UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck II post-fight thoughts and analysis

- Is there any doubt that Georges St. Pierre is the best fighter in the world? After dominating Jon Fitch, BJ Penn, Thiago Alves and Dan Hardy on the ground, St. Pierre put on a striking clinic against a Josh Koscheck that many thought would test the champion's chin. St. Pierre only attempted three takedowns in the entire fight, content instead to blast away with jabs and lead hooks that left Koscheck with a fractured orbital bone. Koscheck was never in the fight, throwing the same jab/ overhand right combo that, while successful in the past, was predictable and easy for St. Pierre to avoid. Training with Freddie Roach looks to have elevated St. Pierre's boxing game. Combine that with a world-class wrestling game, and it's hard to find a fighter in the welterweight division that will give the champion a true test.

- Don't think nutrition is important for a fighter? Thiago Alves is example 'A' to the contrary. After missing weight --for the second time in four fights -- and looking sluggish in a lopsided decision loss to Jon Fitch, Dana White put Alves on blast; miss weight again and move up to middleweight. Alves enlisted the services of nutritionist Mike Dolce, and the results were convincing. Alves made weight with no issues on Friday and looked crisp, energized, and most importantly healthy Saturday against John Howard. After the bout, Alves credited Dolce and "lifestyle choices" for the win. If you want to learn from our nutritionist, P.R. Cole, sign up on TapouTVTC.com today.

- Like St. Pierre, Alves used his technical striking to avoid damage and beat up an opponent set on throwing haymakers. Alves' leg kicks were especially on point, and he looked fresh after the 15-minute beating that he administered. I typically shy away from the clichéd "best we've ever seen" statements, but with a new nutrition plan coupled with his deadly striking, the building blocks are in place for Alves to truly be the best Alves we've ever seen.

- Stefan Struve showed poise on the ground, using the cage to help defend a kimura attempt from Sean McCorkle. From there, Struve took advantage of a quickly-gassing opponent, using a hip-heist sweep to gain mounted position and pound McCorkle out. At only 22-years old, Struve has already amassed a staggering 25 career fights, including seven in the UFC. His 6'11 frame gives his tremendous reach on the feet, but Struve must continue to put on muscle to avoid being bullied by bulker heavyweights. Considering that his body has not fully matured yet, he has plenty of time.

- Jim Miller continues to bolster his contender status after knocking off fast-rising prospect Charles Oliveira by catching a kneebar in the first round. It surprised me that Oliveira showed no urgency when his leg was trapped, opting to fire off a few strikes to the body instead of using his free leg to push Miller's hips below his vulnerable knee. Still, Oliveira is just 21-years old, and he will learn from this loss and come back better. Miller ran his winning streak to six, and his overall UFC record to 8-1. The lightweight division has become stacked with contenders, with Miller, George Sotiropoulos (7-0 UFC) and the winner of Benson Henderson/ Anthony Pettis all potential number-one contenders in the next year.

- Mac Danzig flattened Joe Stevenson with a looping left hook that would have made Chuck Liddell proud, delivering the knockout blow while moving back and away. Despite not having a lot behind it, the hook connected in the perfect spot, proving that the hardest punches aren't always the ones that finish fights. Danzig was fighting for his UFC life in this bout and he delivered with the most emphatic finish of his Octagon career.

- Matt Riddle has the type of attitude that I love in young fighters. Instead of wilting from a first-round barrage of punishment courtesy of Sean Pierson, Riddle came back with a smile on his face in the second, eager for more. Riddle might have lost the decision, but heart like that is not coachable and a precious commodity in MMA.