UFC fans will be in for a spectacle if George St. Pierre manages to take down Jake Shields. This victory would place him against Anderson Silva in the biggest fight in history.
Should
George St. Pierre do, what most believe he will do, at UFC 129 on April 30th
which is defeat Jake Shields (also don´t miss the UFC 127 odds here), then we have all the ingredients ready to be
blended into one magnificent recipe which is the most highly anticipated fight
in the history of mixed martial arts. If
the rumors are to be believed, this will set the stage for the mother of all
pay per views, George “Rush” St. Pierre versus Anderson “The Spider”
Silva. No folks, it doesn’t get any
bigger or better than this. It’s like
watching Clapton dueling guitars with Hendrix or Marciano going 12 rounds with
Ali or Michael Jordan one on one with Lebron.
Those events will never happen but this, yes this, can not only happen but
there’s a distinct possibility it could happen by the end of this year.
Now the big
question is where will the fight be held and at what weight division? For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume
GSP will have to fight in Silva’s middleweight division and thus for the
middleweight crown. If that concession
is made by the St. Pierre camp, it would only make sense that UFC boss Dana
White would placate the St. Pierre camp and hold the event in the Great White
North. GSP is the pride of Quebec and nothing
says Oh Canada! like watching their own native son make history by defeating
the most ferocious MMA fighter the world has ever known in Anderson Silva.
While the
venue may be an afterthought for most watching this historic event in the
comfort of their own living rooms, it is not a trivial component if indeed this
is to be held on St. Pierre’s native soil.
There is always a home court, home ice or home field advantage in team
sports but no team, no matter how rabid the fan base, receives the same shot of
emotional adrenaline than that of a lone warrior standing before an adoring
crowd of family, friends and fans who share a common bond, a common place and a
common thread that is inextricably woven into the very fabric of that fighter’s
being.
He is not there because of the
laundry he wears with the team logo emblazoned across his jersey; he did not
adopt the fan base because their hometown team made him the best offer in the
form of a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract; nor is he there because he
was traded to their fair city but free agency and a better deal may soon lead
him to another destination. No, he is
there for the same reason they are there…it is home. That’s what makes the difference and he, and
no one else, is the sole beneficiary of their adulation. He does not share it with teammates and when
the cheers go up, they cheer for him and for him alone. His pain is their pain. His triumph is their triumph. And when the roar of the crowd has dissipated
and the bright lights have faded to blue, that fighter must face his countrymen
and take personal ownership of his performance.
That’s the difference between a mercenary delivering on a contract and a
patriot fighting for his honor, and theirs.
So if you’re wondering why 7 of GSP’s eight
fights in Canada have come by knock-out or submission within two rounds, you
may have to give some of that credit to the very people exhorting him from the
rafters and shaking the arena with cheers and applause, worshipping GSP not
only because of who he is but because of where he’s from. That’s why if this fight does take place in
GSP’s home territory, I believe this underdog may have just gotten a whole lot
of bite. George St. Pierre +155 in front
of an arena full of crazy Canadians? You
bet.