UFC Welterweight Championship bout: Georges St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Odds: ( -500 St-Pierre / +300 Koscheck )
Betting Pick: St-Pierre
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Two heated rivals will square off in the main event, as champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre defends his title against skilled wrestler and antagonist Josh Koscheck. The last time these two met, St. Pierre surprised many pundits by easily out-wrestling Koscheck. Still, Koscheck has come a long way since then, as has St. Pierre, so this should be another competitive fight.
Koscheck, the most disliked castmember on The Ultimate Fighter season 1, is an extremely dominant wrestler who has come a really long way in the striking department since his stint on the reality show. His technique is pretty solid now and he is very heavy-handed, which could pose problems for St. Pierre, who clearly does not enjoy being punched since his upset loss to Matt Serra.
St. Pierre is easily one of the most dominant fighters in the world and a strong pound for pound #1 contender. Every part of his game is solid, including striking and submissions, but since recapturing the title his wrestling and top control have clearly been his bread and butter. Some have criticized St. Pierre’s style as boring and overly cautious, but there is no denying that it is effective.
This fight is going to come down to who wins the wrestling battles. St. Pierre has the technique to outbox Koscheck and Koscheck has the power to knock St. Pierre out, but whichever guy can force the fight on the ground is going to be the winner, because neither man is very comfortable off his back. In that regard, I think St. Pierre is the clear favorite here. He out wrestled Koscheck last time, and his wrestling and top control have only continued to approve. I expect another five long rounds of St. Pierre controlling position and picking his shots en route to another unanimous decision.
Prediction: Georges “Rush” St-Pierre via Unanimous Decision.
