5 reasons why Georges St-Pierre would have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov
Georges St-Pierre did not endear himself to UFC President Dana White during his last two fights under the promotion's banner. He first relinquished his welterweight title after a grueling split-decision win against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167. It was a controversial win that many felt 'GSP' had lost.
Thus, it was the opinion of the MMA world at the time that a rematch was warranted. Instead, the Canadian great embarked on a four-year sabbatical from the sport. Dana White famously had a poor reaction to his athlete's decision. Upon St-Pierre's eventual return, however, he was immediately booked in a title fight.
The title fight was against Michael Bisping for the middleweight crown, which the former welterweight claimed at UFC 217. Unfortunately, he later vacated the title without ever defending it, once again souring the promotion.
Thus, when he expressed an interest in facing then-lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov, the UFC didn't budge. Had the UFC agreed to the Canadian's demands, there's good reason to assume he would've been victorious.
#5. Georges St-Pierre would have had superior coaches
While MMA is an individual sport in the sense that fighters step into the cage alone, a significant portion of their success depends on how well-prepared they are. A team of coaches from a fighter's gym is tasked with developing a game plan that will prepare them to utilize their strengths and target their foe's weaknesses.
Game plans vary in terms of quality depending on the team of coaches a fighter has. Georges St-Pierre trains at Tristar and benefits from the guidance of one of the finest coaches in MMA today, Firas Zahabi. However, he doesn't exclusively train at Tristar.
Is this the baddest corner ever? GSP’s Corner - John Danaher, Greg Jackson, Firas Zahabi and Phill Nurse
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While 'GSP's' head coach is Firas Zahabi, he also hired legendary game planner Greg Jackson as his strategy coach. With the two men at his disposal, the Canadian great would have surely found a way to punish Khabib Nurmagomedov for his linear movement and poor defensive striking.
Their input would have been invaluable as his cornermen during the bout in case an unknown variable presented itself. Furthermore, the confidence boost they'd have given 'GSP' couldn't be understated.
#4. Georges St-Pierre was too experienced
Nearly everyone who has ever faced Khabib Nurmagomedov immediately succumbed to both the occasion and the pressure of fighting him. The undefeated Dagestani phenom marches most of his foes down to force them onto the backfoot. The fear that his opponents had of his wrestling made this easier.
'The Eagle' easily backed up most of his foes by simply charging at them and swarming them with chaotic exchanges. He would often throw wild punches and even flying knees, all to overload his opponent's decision-making process before using his incredible speed to shoot in for a takedown when they least expected it.
Eight years ago today, Georges St-Pierre defeated Johny Hendricks in a controversial decision at UFC 167.
It was St-Pierre's ninth title defense and final fight at welterweight. He walked away after the bout, returning nearly four years later to become UFC middleweight champion. https://t.co/s4HZd0OT3e
This caused a lot of the Russian's opponents to neglect the fact that he only charges in a straight line. He chases them without moving laterally to cut off their escape angles. Georges St-Pierre was too experienced to be overwhelmed by the occasion of facing an undefeated and seemingly unstoppable wrestler.
He would have, like Holly Holm did against Ronda Rousey, used his lateral footwork to evade his foe's linear charges.
#3. Georges St-Pierre was a far superior striker
While Khabib Nurmagomedov held the edge in terms of wrestling and overall grappling, Georges St-Pierre was a significantly better striker. On the surface, this doesn't seem to matter all that much, given that most of the Russian's past foes were better strikers than him.
However, 'GSP' was an exceptional striker during his years of activity. The Canadian great often fought from a low stance that left him well-equipped to defend takedowns while also creating openings for his jab. This enabled his punches to slip right under his opponent's guard.
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This would have worked wonders against 'The Eagle' due to his lack of head movement and pivoting. Furthermore, 'GSP' often stepped forward to convert every ounce of his body weight into his jabs. This made his punches exceptionally damaging compared to the average jab and right hand.
Due to Nurmagomedov's penchant for charging forward in a straight line, he would have likely run himself into his foe's punches. This is especially true given that Georges St-Pierre controlled the distance well enough to force his opponents to take additional steps to get closer.
#2. His wrestling would have added an extra dimension to the fight
Georges St-Pierre was a different type of wrestler than the ones who actively fight in the UFC today. Chain wrestling has become a dominant style of engagement inside the octagon. However, what 'GSP' was able to accomplish during his welterweight run remains exceptional.
He used his incredible timing to execute flawless takedowns. The Canadian great drags his opponent's guard high with the effectiveness of his jab. Once his foes are more preoccupied with stopping his power jabs, he fakes the punch and dives under their guard while their arms are too high to sprawl.
The UFC's all-time takedown leader is Georges St-Pierre, with 90.
Here's how @RazorBlaydes265' pace compares to GSP's through 12 UFC fights. https://t.co/7ihpaggzv5
While he would have likely been unable to outwrestle 'The Eagle,' using takedowns to give him something else to think about would have netted positive results. Kevin Lee once pointed out that Khabib Nurmagomedov fought without the fear of being taken down.
This isn't simply due to his impregnable takedown defense. It was also due to virtually no one ever trying to take him down. By forcing the Russian to think about his striking and his wrestling, 'GSP' would have disrupted the rhythm that he's been allowed to maintain undisturbed for years.
#1. Georges St-Pierre could have matched his cardio
The Canadian great was rarely ever tired. The only time UFC fans saw him gasping for air was after his middleweight debut. Georges St-Pierre was forced to carry far more weight than his body was accustomed to. Furthermore, his added mass required more oxygen to fuel his new muscle tissue.
Watch GSP's full library on @UFCFightPass!#OnThisDay in 2013... 🇨🇦
@GeorgesStPierre and Nick Diaz went five rounds for the strap! 🏆
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This would not be the case in a lightweight bout. He would have, like he did for most of his career, been prepared for five rounds. Khabib Nurmagomedov was a fighter with terrifying cardio, but it also relied on him being able to dictate the pace of every bout with his wrestling.
Against 'GSP,' he would have struggled to do so due to the Canadian's own wrestling ability and management of distance. Without being able to drown him, 'The Eagle' would have, for the first time, been forced to contend with someone who simply didn't wilt under his pressure.