Sunday, November 19, 2006

Georges St. Pierre: UFC Champ

Some folks may read this and have no idea what I'm talking about, but the Canadian flag is flying a little higher this morning.

At about 12:35am, Montrealer Georges "Rush" St. Pierre was being fitted with the belt that had belonged to UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes.

Of all the UFC champs, Hughes was considered the most formidable, the best (he was also considered by many to be an asshole jock, which his ignorant comments about Canadian war involvement seem to prove). What makes St. Pierre's victory so impressive is not merely that it came against a man considered pound-for-pound the best fighter in the UFC, but the manner in which St. Pierre won.

He didn't beat Hughes. He absolutely destroyed Hughes.

Hughes was never in this fight. From the opening moments, St. Pierre asserted himself, taking the centre of the octagon and delivering punishing kicks to Hughes' legs.

Hughes complained of a couple of low blows, but unless his testicles hang somewhere around his knees, the second "offense" was clearly clean. It would seem unlike Hughes to complain without cause, but his protestations rang hollow.

After being saved by the bell at the end of the first round, Hughes' demise came early in the second. He leaned forward to deliver a punch, unaware his face would soon be introduced to St. Pierre's shin, courtesy of yet another punishing kick. Hughes was rocked and hit the canvas. St. Pierre pounced on the fallen champ and delivered shot after shot to Hughes' face until the referee was forced to stop the fight.

The crowd in the bar went apeshit.

New UFC Welterweight Champion of the World: Georges St. Pierre.

Boomshakalaka!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Christ, I'm the first comment on this?

I went apeshit too, and I wasn't in a bar - I think I woke some neighbours.

Safe to say it was the kind of reaction that makes girlfriends wonder "What the hell is wrong with men?"

PS said...

I'm already looking forward to the next PPV on December 30, though I'm at a loss to explain why Griffin is fighting Jardine. This is a big fight for Jardine, but a no-win situation for Griffin.

Only CP24 had a blurb about St. Pierre's win. I didn't hear anything else about it in any Toronto media, though I know the Canadian Press filed a story.