What Not to Expect at UFC 129: GSP vs. Shields
UFC News
Posted By Anton Gurevich UFC News
UFC 129 is just around the corner, with five promising match-ups on the main card of the night. The event is headlined by Georges St. Pierre's sixth consecutive UFC Welterweight title defense in a fight against Jake Shields, as Jose Aldo's UFC debut in a Featherweight title fight against Mark Hominick serves as the co-main event attraction of the night.
There's no doubt about UFC 129 being one of the biggest events in Ultimate Fighting Championship history, with fighters looking to prove their worth in front of the 55,000 attendance at the sold-out Rogers Center. A lot has been said and promised, but here's five sure things you shouldn't expect at the UFC 129 main card action:
Jake Shields to KO Georges St. Pierre
Jake Shields knocking out Georges St. Pierre will be one of the biggest surprises in the history of Mixed Martial Arts. However, Jake Shields' main goal is to take this fight to the ground, where he can utilize his elite submission skills to take the belt away from St. Pierre. Shields knows he has nothing to offer against St. Pierre on his feet, what is also one of the French-Canadian's biggest strengths. It will be a game of chess between Georges St. Pierre and Jake Shields, with GSP playing on the whites with Striking and Shields on the blacks with Grappling.
Mark Hominick and Jose Aldo going to distance
Mark Hominick and Jose Aldo are two of the most dangerous Featherweights on the planet. Both finished four of their last five fights with brutal knockouts and perfectly executed submissions. And just like Hominick, who will enjoy a tremendous local support, Jose Aldo has a lot to prove in this fight. The Brazilian phenom wants to make a statement in his UFC debut, and will be definitely looking for a memorable highlight reel finish. As for Hominick, it's hard to imagine Shawn Tompkins' protégé wrestling for five rounds with Aldo. It's all or nothing for both Hominick and Aldo in this fight. Expect fireworks, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Randy Couture to defeat Lyoto Machida
Everyone knows Randy Couture will come to this fight with a clinch-dirty boxing gameplan, looking to frustrate Machida and play on his weaknesses. But reality is a little bit different. Lyoto Machida is better than Couture in both striking and grappling, not speaking about speed and movement. Without all these components, Couture's wrestling will be close to irrelevant inside the Octagon. But hey, "The Natural" already proved numerous times that impossible is nothing.
Slugfest between Vladimir Matyushenko and Jason Brilz
Brilz and Matyushenko are very calculated fighters, who almost never take risks during the fight. Jason Brilz is coming off defeat against Rogerio Nogueira, as Vladimir Matyushenko will look to establish a winning streak after convincingly beating Alexandre Ferreira at UFC 122. Both have a lot to lose, especially in front of 55,000 spectators at the sold-out Rogers Center. It will be a wrestling war between these two excellent grinders, but definitely not a Korean Zombie – Leonard Garcia styled match-up.
Ben Henderson to submit Mark Bocek
Ben Henderson has eight impressive submission victories on his record, but it will be a whole different story against the Canadian veteran Mark Bocek. Benderson will have to find another path to victory in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, as going down to ground with Bocek is the most unlikely one. Fans can safely expect a very technical fight between Bocek and Henderson, which will be probably decided on the feet.
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