One of the most famous quotes attributed to Alexander The Great, one of world history's most famous and successful military leaders, spoke of how after surveying the extent of his empire he wept at the prospect of having no more worlds to conquer. Alexander had done all this before the time of his death at just 32 years old.
A similar prospect may soon be approaching 27 year old UFC Welterweight King Georges St. Pierre after such a brutally one sided victory over legitimate top contender Jon Fitch. By the end of what can only be described as a 25 minute assault I was left wondering the legality of the damage inflicted.
People in the know knew how tough a fighter Jon Fitch is and how he often outlasts opponents by grinding them down until they can take no more but no one outside of die-hard fanboys expected him to be so easily overwhelmed.
Georges St. Pierre at this point seems to be so far ahead of anyone else in his weightclass in Mixed Martial Arts (not just the UFC) that I honestly can not see anyone else who will pose a significant challenge providing GSP maintains this level of focus, ability and skill.
Elite XC's Welterweight Champ Jake Shields excels on the ground and is perhaps only bettered by the ever fluctuating BJ Penn, but there is no way I see him taking GSP to the ground when considering his wrestling and takedown defense. GSP will destroy Shields on the feet.
UFC's explosive Muay Thai based fighter Thiago Alves may pose problems to GSP on the feet but I see GSP taking Alves down at will and keeping him there with a barrage of strikes and maybe even finish by TKO or submission.
Alves next opponent Diego Sanchez who is becoming as well rounded as they come will be out-muscled and out-gunned by a simply more physically powerful and gifted GSP.
WEC champ Carlos Condit, while a scrappy fighter and a gamer with excellent ground skills will be wrecked wherever a fight with GSP takes place.
It looks as if BJ Penn will get his wish of a rematch and while his boxing has improved with a great lead jab that alone will not be enough for the varied assault St. Pierre brings to the table. Penn's mobility coupled with skill on the ground has always been his strongest point but outside of a slip on a laminated mat sponsor Penn does not have the offensive wrestling to get GSP to where he'll do the most damage. Penn will survive early on, but even with improved cardio that works for him at Lightweight, GSP will torture him over 5 rounds and may well finish him late in the 4th or 5th.
Outside of his weightclass the most significant fight GSP can have is against the destructive Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva who has finished every opponent he has faced in his UFC tenure thus far. GSP won't be able to muscle around the deceptively strong Spider though with technique and momentum he will be able to take him down if he can grab him.
However with such a dangerous guard that can envelop fighters with lanky limbs and an ever improving ability to scramble and get back to the feet, any respite where the fight ends up back on the feet is critically dangerous to St. Pierre who as we all know can be knocked out. While someone like Alves has unquestioned power in his strikes, Silva is pin-point accurate and can capitalise on any mistake made.
But as far as the Welterweight Class goes it seems Georges St.Pierre is without equal at this moment in time and possibly for a couple of years to come.
"When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer." - Unknown
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