UFC 124 featured one of the main draws on it's roster, and no it isn't Josh Koscheck's frizzy hair. I am talking about a Canadian fighter who goes by the name Georges St. Pierre. GSP has made simple work of clearing out the entire welterweight division. UFC 124 saw the rematch of GSP vs Josh Koscheck for the welterweight title. Koscheck used every available moment of camera time while on TUF 12 to talk about his "guaranteed victory" over Georges. Georges kept calm on the show and decided to use Saturday night to give Koscheck a clinic in "talk is cheap".
GSP, a re wrestler, had been working with famous boxing trainer Freddie Roach leading up to his bout with Josh Koscheck. I would say that this was money well spent considering that St Pierre used his speedy jab to basically shut the right eye of Koscheck. Now, since this fight didn't display much jiu jitsu, we will go on, but I do want to use this fight as a wonderful example of how under used the jab is in MMA. To many MMA practitioners in MMA use the windmill method when it comes to throwing fists. Hopefully, after seeing this, more fighters will realize it's significance and spend some time in the gym working the jab with their trainers. It probably doesn't hurt to have Freddie Roach there to give you some suggestions either.
UFC 124 also had some attention-grabbing submissions on the lineup. I am someone who values a good BJJ fighter. This is why we featured BJJ black belt, Dustin Hazelett on our site leading up to the event. Well, you can't get everything perfect. Hazelett faced Mark Bocek on the prelims of UFC 124 but his fight was aired live for free on the UFC's website. Hazelett made his return to 155 pounds, only to be given a very unwelcoming treat from Bocek. Bocek was able to lock in a very smooth topside triangle and rolled to his back. Bocek was able to eventually push the arm of Hazelett across the body to cause the tap but not before giving Hazelett some elbows to the head to remember their time together by.
The only other submission win on the card goes to Jim Miller who handed Charles Oliveira his first defeat of his MMA career courtesy of a kneebar. The fight began with Oliveira appearing to be the initiator in the jiu jitsu game. Oliveira attempted a guillotine as Miller shot in for the takedown and was looking for what might have been a triangle before adjusting down to the leg of Miller as Miller stood up. Miller had some jiu jitsu options of his own though. Miller snatched the leg and rolled into a kneebar of his own. Now, I am not sure what Oliviera's kneebar escape plan was, but continuing to strike Miller in the ribs with no thought for your own leg was probably not the method to use at this point. Oliviera, instead, chose to keep the side hammer-fists going and was pushed to give up at the 1:59 mark of round 1.
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