I don’t want to sound like a jerk, but he is an MMA fighter. He does not appear to prefer any one “style;” he just has a complete all-around game. If anything, he relies on his wrestling more than his standup or submission skills.
GSP is, IMHO one of the greatest martial arts masters in the world today. I’ve spent my life in the martial arts and I’m in awe watching him fight.
He is the quintessential mixed martial artist. Wrestling, karate, jujistu, he does it all. I hope, really really hope, that he will one day create his own style just to provide a strong base for anyone wanting to do what he does (and without the time or money to dedicate to having ten different trainers.)
Your question is tricky because if you separate GSP from his wrestling, you’ve really changed the way he fights entirely. But if I had to call it, I’d say he is more of a karate + wrestling guy than a jujitsu + wrestling guy. Though of course, he’s good at all three.
It’s called Mixed Martial Arts for a reason…. he has a black belt in BJJ but he’s been training in Karate for most his life. He’s a well rounded MMA fighter
He has a black belt in karate [useless] and a black belt in Jiu Jitsu [undeservingly], so you can say he is both. Although he is inept at jiu jitsu, as can be evidenced in ALL of his fights. And in his one attempt at competing at ADCC. SEE source below.
Yes, GSP is a great wrestler. But if I had to choose between whether his BJJ or his Karate is better, I would say he uses his Karate a little more. GSP doesn’t go for subs much, if he gets the takedown (wrestling) he usually goes for the ground and pound instead of working for a sub.
DeltaSigChi4 – Karate is useless? GSP uses his Karate in his stand up. And Lyoto Machida? Machida’s stance looks like something out of the Karate Kid. His style of counterstriking, of moving and out is something you see a lot in Karate tournaments. Oh, by the way the guy is 14-0 and has statistically taken the least amount of hits of any UFC fighter ever.
To all of you a$$ munchies that say Karate doesn’t work, I don’t know if can be any more clearer with Lyoto and GSPkicking some sorry a$$e$..Their base is Karate and they both beat the crap out of useless BJJ fighters…sorry boys
I’d say that his karate background is more apparent than his BJJ background. He rarely plays guard or attempts a submission, which would be the hallmark of a BJJ fighter. His top game, even his guard passing, is very wrestler-like. Every strike he uses on the fee can be found in karate, though.
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:39 am
george st pierre is more of a krate fighter because he started taking karate at the age of six
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:42 am
I don’t want to sound like a jerk, but he is an MMA fighter. He does not appear to prefer any one “style;” he just has a complete all-around game. If anything, he relies on his wrestling more than his standup or submission skills.
February 2nd, 2009 at 8:10 am
GSP is, IMHO one of the greatest martial arts masters in the world today. I’ve spent my life in the martial arts and I’m in awe watching him fight.
He is the quintessential mixed martial artist. Wrestling, karate, jujistu, he does it all. I hope, really really hope, that he will one day create his own style just to provide a strong base for anyone wanting to do what he does (and without the time or money to dedicate to having ten different trainers.)
Your question is tricky because if you separate GSP from his wrestling, you’ve really changed the way he fights entirely. But if I had to call it, I’d say he is more of a karate + wrestling guy than a jujitsu + wrestling guy. Though of course, he’s good at all three.
February 2nd, 2009 at 8:22 am
The short answer is, Yes. If you asked if he was more of a boxer or wrestler, again I would have to say, “Yes”.
He might be the most versatile mixed martial artists that we’ve ever seen at his weight.
He has 18 Wins and 2 Losses.
8 Knockouts
5 Submissions
5 Decisions
He tapped out to Matt Hughes and was technically knocked out by Matt Serra. He has avenged both of those losses.
So he might be slightly more of a “Karate” striker, but he really does it all.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
It’s called Mixed Martial Arts for a reason…. he has a black belt in BJJ but he’s been training in Karate for most his life. He’s a well rounded MMA fighter
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:00 am
He has a black belt in karate [useless] and a black belt in Jiu Jitsu [undeservingly], so you can say he is both. Although he is inept at jiu jitsu, as can be evidenced in ALL of his fights. And in his one attempt at competing at ADCC. SEE source below.
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February 2nd, 2009 at 10:57 am
Yes, GSP is a great wrestler. But if I had to choose between whether his BJJ or his Karate is better, I would say he uses his Karate a little more. GSP doesn’t go for subs much, if he gets the takedown (wrestling) he usually goes for the ground and pound instead of working for a sub.
DeltaSigChi4 – Karate is useless? GSP uses his Karate in his stand up. And Lyoto Machida? Machida’s stance looks like something out of the Karate Kid. His style of counterstriking, of moving and out is something you see a lot in Karate tournaments. Oh, by the way the guy is 14-0 and has statistically taken the least amount of hits of any UFC fighter ever.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 am
To all of you a$$ munchies that say Karate doesn’t work, I don’t know if can be any more clearer with Lyoto and GSPkicking some sorry a$$e$..Their base is Karate and they both beat the crap out of useless BJJ fighters…sorry boys
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I’d say that his karate background is more apparent than his BJJ background. He rarely plays guard or attempts a submission, which would be the hallmark of a BJJ fighter. His top game, even his guard passing, is very wrestler-like. Every strike he uses on the fee can be found in karate, though.