UFC 94 ST. PIERRE VS BJ PENN
- Thread starter drunkaholic707
- Start date
UFC Primetime:
Episode 1 (1 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn6GMrj7QvI
Episode 1 (2 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBOUF88Fsvc&feature=channel
Episode 1 (1 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn6GMrj7QvI
Episode 1 (2 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBOUF88Fsvc&feature=channel
FOR GSP AND B.J. PENN IT'S SIMPLY TIME TO FIGHT
B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre are doing their best to convince themselves this isn’t the fight of their careers.
Amidst projections of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view draw in history, a media blitz including a $1.7 million television special, and the usual outpouring of partisan support, it’s a fight just to focus on the fight.
At a press conference for media and public at the Hollywood Theater inside the MGM Grand casino, Penn and GSP revealed their strategies for dealing with the intense pressure of this Saturday’s UFC 94.
“My motivation is not to fight for the title,” St. Pierre told the crowd. “My motivation is to fight B.J. Penn. I’m very glad to be able to fight him, because those great fights make great champions.”
Penn concurred from the opposite side of the podium.
“Two belts would be very important and historic,” he began. “But you could win a welterweight title from a less important opponent and it wouldn’t mean as much, so the most important thing is fighting Georges St. Pierre.”
From a fan's perspective, it’s a chance for St. Pierre to prove his split decision win over Penn at UFC 58 was no fluke, and, according to UFC president Dana White, to open up "other options" like taking on Anderson Silva. Penn, on the other hand, gets a chance at revenge and a shot at history.
The UFC has stirred the pot well. Its Spike TV special, “Primetime,” did an excellent job of making the fight important for both men. During the course of the show, Penn has called St. Pierre “a quitter,” while St. Pierre has painted the lightweight champion as a spoiled rich kid. Angry with his portrayal, Penn kicked UFC camera crews out of his gym, creating more drama.
A week and a half removed from the flare-up, there wasn’t much heat between them as they sat across from each other. As Penn pointed out, a fight is a fight, and he’d respect the welterweight champion when all was said and done.
“Stuff gets out and stuff gets said,” said Penn. “After the fight, I’ll shake his hand.”
Though not directly, St. Pierre defended Penn’s reaction to the show.
“You have to understand, when they do the Primetime and those things, the camera guys, it’s their job to promote the fight, so they ask you questions and they only play a part of it… to make us look bad,” St. Pierre said. “And they did it with me. It’s to promote the fight. I do have a lot of respect for B.J. Penn. A lot has been said, and it’s part of the game. But after… I will shake his hand, no matter what.”
But Penn still felt obliged to explain his training methods, particularly the show’s depiction of a break he took in the middle of training camp.
“(It’s) part of my routine, training,” said Penn. “I’ve been doing it for the last 10 years, take a little break before the last three weeks in. It was good. I needed it.”
For his part, St. Pierre spoke of an intense three-month training camp, different because of the sheer volume of fighters traveling to assist him. The French Canadian fielded between one and three new fighters a week.
“I’ve never been so pumped up in my life for a fight,” he said. “I’ve never wanted to win so bad.”
The two couldn't agree on who would have more support come Saturday night. Penn thought Hawaii's economy would diminish his numbers, while St. Pierre downplayed the Canada vs. Hawaii angle. It didn't matter who was from where – a fight is a fight.
In that vein, Penn was a little more blasé about his motivations for defeating St. Pierre.
“Legacy, all that different stuff… I just want to kick his ass,” said Penn.
B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre are doing their best to convince themselves this isn’t the fight of their careers.
Amidst projections of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view draw in history, a media blitz including a $1.7 million television special, and the usual outpouring of partisan support, it’s a fight just to focus on the fight.
At a press conference for media and public at the Hollywood Theater inside the MGM Grand casino, Penn and GSP revealed their strategies for dealing with the intense pressure of this Saturday’s UFC 94.
“My motivation is not to fight for the title,” St. Pierre told the crowd. “My motivation is to fight B.J. Penn. I’m very glad to be able to fight him, because those great fights make great champions.”
Penn concurred from the opposite side of the podium.
“Two belts would be very important and historic,” he began. “But you could win a welterweight title from a less important opponent and it wouldn’t mean as much, so the most important thing is fighting Georges St. Pierre.”
From a fan's perspective, it’s a chance for St. Pierre to prove his split decision win over Penn at UFC 58 was no fluke, and, according to UFC president Dana White, to open up "other options" like taking on Anderson Silva. Penn, on the other hand, gets a chance at revenge and a shot at history.
The UFC has stirred the pot well. Its Spike TV special, “Primetime,” did an excellent job of making the fight important for both men. During the course of the show, Penn has called St. Pierre “a quitter,” while St. Pierre has painted the lightweight champion as a spoiled rich kid. Angry with his portrayal, Penn kicked UFC camera crews out of his gym, creating more drama.
A week and a half removed from the flare-up, there wasn’t much heat between them as they sat across from each other. As Penn pointed out, a fight is a fight, and he’d respect the welterweight champion when all was said and done.
“Stuff gets out and stuff gets said,” said Penn. “After the fight, I’ll shake his hand.”
Though not directly, St. Pierre defended Penn’s reaction to the show.
“You have to understand, when they do the Primetime and those things, the camera guys, it’s their job to promote the fight, so they ask you questions and they only play a part of it… to make us look bad,” St. Pierre said. “And they did it with me. It’s to promote the fight. I do have a lot of respect for B.J. Penn. A lot has been said, and it’s part of the game. But after… I will shake his hand, no matter what.”
But Penn still felt obliged to explain his training methods, particularly the show’s depiction of a break he took in the middle of training camp.
“(It’s) part of my routine, training,” said Penn. “I’ve been doing it for the last 10 years, take a little break before the last three weeks in. It was good. I needed it.”
For his part, St. Pierre spoke of an intense three-month training camp, different because of the sheer volume of fighters traveling to assist him. The French Canadian fielded between one and three new fighters a week.
“I’ve never been so pumped up in my life for a fight,” he said. “I’ve never wanted to win so bad.”
The two couldn't agree on who would have more support come Saturday night. Penn thought Hawaii's economy would diminish his numbers, while St. Pierre downplayed the Canada vs. Hawaii angle. It didn't matter who was from where – a fight is a fight.
In that vein, Penn was a little more blasé about his motivations for defeating St. Pierre.
“Legacy, all that different stuff… I just want to kick his ass,” said Penn.
Dana White: No apologies for St. Pierre vs. Penn "super fight"
LAS VEGAS - Nearly 24 years ago, just down the street from the site of Saturday's "UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn II" event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler (60-2-2, at the time) defeated Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns (40-1) in one of the most legendary boxing matches of all time.
Promoted as "The War," the April 1985 event took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and was covered thoroughly across the globe.
UFC President Dana White expects Saturday's rematch between UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lightweight title-holder B.J. Penn to be just as historic.
"I've been saying the whole time you're lucky if in your lifetime you get to see three or four of these types of fights," White said during Wednesday's UFC 94 press conference. "Two guys in their prime, both hungry, both champions, and both going into the fight wanting to finish each other."
"This is Hagler (vs.) Hearns. This is Hagler (vs. Sugar Ray) Leonard. This is one of those types of fights. And I truly believe the guy that wins this fight on Saturday night walks out there a huge superstar and is on his way to going down in the history books as one of the great fighters to ever live."
While never one to shy away from boastful claims, White isn't too far off with his assessment. The outcome of Saturday's bout is ultimately up to St. Pierre and his opponent, Penn, whom the popular Canadian fighter defeated via split decision during their first meeting in 2006.
However, all the pieces are in place for the show, and more specifically the night's main event, to reach epic proportions. The MGM Grand Garden Arena has long been sold out, and UFC 94 is likely to post one of the biggest live gates in the organization's 16-year history. Aided by a $2 million "UFC Countdown" preview series, the event could also reach some of the biggest PPV numbers the UFC has ever seen.
And while the bout features a rare champion vs. champion format with St. Pierre's belt on the line, the hype is less about the titles and more about the fighters themselves.
"Holding two belts would be very important and historic, but you could win the welterweight title from a less-important opponent, and it wouldn't mean as much," Penn said. "The most important thing is fighting Georges St. Pierre."
St. Pierre, already one of the most impressive and talented fighters in MMA history, could cement his remarkable legacy with a decisive win over a true MMA legend.
"It's a great fight that makes a great champion," St. Pierre said. "For me, as a champion, I want to fight the best guy in the world, and I'm glad it's him." To put on the champion vs. champion bout, the UFC put on hold two divisions' title pictures. Thiago Alves has already earned a shot at St. Pierre's belt, and Kenny Florian has been promised a fight with Penn. Both could be inactive for more than half a year while they await those title shots.
But White scoffs at any criticism over UFC 94's headline fight.
"Who gives a [expletive]?" White said. "Super fights are awesome. Who wouldn't like a super fight to see two of the best in the world? ... It's ridiculous. People are always going to bitch about something.
"If Thiago or Kenny were both in the same position, they'd want the same opportunities these two are going to get. It's like B.J. Penn said. He said it's not about winning the welterweight title; it's about who you win it from. Beating Georges St. Pierre is big. And for Georges St. Pierre, beating B.J. Penn is a big deal. It's a big deal for these. It's a big fight and a big motivator for these guys."
It's also a big fight for the fans, he said.
"If you look at ticket sales and how fired up people are for this fight, super fights are a good thing," White said.
LAS VEGAS - Nearly 24 years ago, just down the street from the site of Saturday's "UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn II" event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler (60-2-2, at the time) defeated Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns (40-1) in one of the most legendary boxing matches of all time.
Promoted as "The War," the April 1985 event took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and was covered thoroughly across the globe.
UFC President Dana White expects Saturday's rematch between UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lightweight title-holder B.J. Penn to be just as historic.
"I've been saying the whole time you're lucky if in your lifetime you get to see three or four of these types of fights," White said during Wednesday's UFC 94 press conference. "Two guys in their prime, both hungry, both champions, and both going into the fight wanting to finish each other."
"This is Hagler (vs.) Hearns. This is Hagler (vs. Sugar Ray) Leonard. This is one of those types of fights. And I truly believe the guy that wins this fight on Saturday night walks out there a huge superstar and is on his way to going down in the history books as one of the great fighters to ever live."
While never one to shy away from boastful claims, White isn't too far off with his assessment. The outcome of Saturday's bout is ultimately up to St. Pierre and his opponent, Penn, whom the popular Canadian fighter defeated via split decision during their first meeting in 2006.
However, all the pieces are in place for the show, and more specifically the night's main event, to reach epic proportions. The MGM Grand Garden Arena has long been sold out, and UFC 94 is likely to post one of the biggest live gates in the organization's 16-year history. Aided by a $2 million "UFC Countdown" preview series, the event could also reach some of the biggest PPV numbers the UFC has ever seen.
And while the bout features a rare champion vs. champion format with St. Pierre's belt on the line, the hype is less about the titles and more about the fighters themselves.
"Holding two belts would be very important and historic, but you could win the welterweight title from a less-important opponent, and it wouldn't mean as much," Penn said. "The most important thing is fighting Georges St. Pierre."
St. Pierre, already one of the most impressive and talented fighters in MMA history, could cement his remarkable legacy with a decisive win over a true MMA legend.
"It's a great fight that makes a great champion," St. Pierre said. "For me, as a champion, I want to fight the best guy in the world, and I'm glad it's him." To put on the champion vs. champion bout, the UFC put on hold two divisions' title pictures. Thiago Alves has already earned a shot at St. Pierre's belt, and Kenny Florian has been promised a fight with Penn. Both could be inactive for more than half a year while they await those title shots.
But White scoffs at any criticism over UFC 94's headline fight.
"Who gives a [expletive]?" White said. "Super fights are awesome. Who wouldn't like a super fight to see two of the best in the world? ... It's ridiculous. People are always going to bitch about something.
"If Thiago or Kenny were both in the same position, they'd want the same opportunities these two are going to get. It's like B.J. Penn said. He said it's not about winning the welterweight title; it's about who you win it from. Beating Georges St. Pierre is big. And for Georges St. Pierre, beating B.J. Penn is a big deal. It's a big deal for these. It's a big fight and a big motivator for these guys."
It's also a big fight for the fans, he said.
"If you look at ticket sales and how fired up people are for this fight, super fights are a good thing," White said.
B.J. PENN SAYS GSP FIGHT IS PINNACLE OF HIS CAREER
The best fighter in the world. Legend. Greatest mixed martial artist we've ever seen.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and these are all names that have been bestowed upon B.J. Penn during his fighting career. The pressure that comes along with those names can be staggering for just about any fighter, but for Penn they have served as motivation to work harder, train longer, and prepare for every fight like it's his last.
Now just days away from his UFC 94 showdown against Georges St. Pierre in possibly the biggest MMA fight ever, Penn is ready, and putting titles and accolades away for the moment... it's just a fight.
"I definitely think this is one of the biggest MMA fights of all time, but whatever the critics or the people have to say is their own opinion. But for me, this is definitely my biggest fight of all time," Penn told MMAWeekly Radio recently.
The magnitude of matching Penn against St. Pierre at a point in their careers when both are seemingly in their primes is a rare match-up for almost any sport. The Hawaiian knows what exactly is on the line when he faces the UFC welterweight champion, and he respects the fighter that will stand across from him in just a few days.
"I really wanted to get the welterweight title back, of course I wanted the rematch with Georges, everybody says he's the best and I want to prove that I'm the best," Penn stated. "Those are the two driving motivations and I'm just really excited about this whole thing.
"I definitely have a lot of respect for Georges' skills. How can you not? They say over and over he could possibly be the best welterweight in MMA today, he could be the best athlete in MMA today, and they say this stuff over and over. It's kind of hard not to have respect, he's accomplished and the fighter that he is."
It seems heading into this fight everybody from fighters to fans are split down the middle on who will win the battle between Penn and St. Pierre, and in the end everybody watching will be the winners when the dust settles.
"To all my fans, Georges St. Pierre's No. 2 and to all Georges St. Pierre's fans I'm No. 2. They like us both, but they know who they're going for that night," Penn commented. "This is the kind of fight you hope for your entire life. This is definitely the pinnacle of my career."
Since their first fight some years ago, Penn has stepped up his game tremendously, focusing on all the things he wasn't doing previously, including the always-mentioned cardio question.
"No one ever stops talking about the conditioning, but that's a good thing, that's what drives me," he said. "It's a good thing that people keep reminding me so I can go take a run. It's either you're in shape or you're not."
Knowing just how important this fight is to both competitors, Penn isn't looking past St. Pierre's skill set in the least. The current UFC lightweight champion says he's focused on GSP's strongest points, and he's ready to test himself against the best.
"I think Georges has improved everything, and even in his last fight we saw him using his jab, he looked like he really stepped his jab up. Georges has been doing everything," Penn said. "It's always a natural reaction for people to say, 'Well, two things B.J. He's going to try to kick you and he's going to try to take you down. You know those are the two things he's going to have as strong points, so those are two things I've been working on a lot."
It will be a war of attrition when Penn fights St. Pierre, and he is ready to show the world who is the superior fighter when Saturday night rolls around.
"It's not a battle of skill, it's a battle of will," said Penn. "He's going to find out, and I'm going to find out, and we're going to find out pretty quick that I'm more skilled than he is, I'm faster than he is, but he's going to try to grind this thing out and I'm going to be there right in his face the whole time.
"I could fight him right now, seriously I could fight him right now. I'm ready."
The best fighter in the world. Legend. Greatest mixed martial artist we've ever seen.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and these are all names that have been bestowed upon B.J. Penn during his fighting career. The pressure that comes along with those names can be staggering for just about any fighter, but for Penn they have served as motivation to work harder, train longer, and prepare for every fight like it's his last.
Now just days away from his UFC 94 showdown against Georges St. Pierre in possibly the biggest MMA fight ever, Penn is ready, and putting titles and accolades away for the moment... it's just a fight.
"I definitely think this is one of the biggest MMA fights of all time, but whatever the critics or the people have to say is their own opinion. But for me, this is definitely my biggest fight of all time," Penn told MMAWeekly Radio recently.
The magnitude of matching Penn against St. Pierre at a point in their careers when both are seemingly in their primes is a rare match-up for almost any sport. The Hawaiian knows what exactly is on the line when he faces the UFC welterweight champion, and he respects the fighter that will stand across from him in just a few days.
"I really wanted to get the welterweight title back, of course I wanted the rematch with Georges, everybody says he's the best and I want to prove that I'm the best," Penn stated. "Those are the two driving motivations and I'm just really excited about this whole thing.
"I definitely have a lot of respect for Georges' skills. How can you not? They say over and over he could possibly be the best welterweight in MMA today, he could be the best athlete in MMA today, and they say this stuff over and over. It's kind of hard not to have respect, he's accomplished and the fighter that he is."
It seems heading into this fight everybody from fighters to fans are split down the middle on who will win the battle between Penn and St. Pierre, and in the end everybody watching will be the winners when the dust settles.
"To all my fans, Georges St. Pierre's No. 2 and to all Georges St. Pierre's fans I'm No. 2. They like us both, but they know who they're going for that night," Penn commented. "This is the kind of fight you hope for your entire life. This is definitely the pinnacle of my career."
Since their first fight some years ago, Penn has stepped up his game tremendously, focusing on all the things he wasn't doing previously, including the always-mentioned cardio question.
"No one ever stops talking about the conditioning, but that's a good thing, that's what drives me," he said. "It's a good thing that people keep reminding me so I can go take a run. It's either you're in shape or you're not."
Knowing just how important this fight is to both competitors, Penn isn't looking past St. Pierre's skill set in the least. The current UFC lightweight champion says he's focused on GSP's strongest points, and he's ready to test himself against the best.
"I think Georges has improved everything, and even in his last fight we saw him using his jab, he looked like he really stepped his jab up. Georges has been doing everything," Penn said. "It's always a natural reaction for people to say, 'Well, two things B.J. He's going to try to kick you and he's going to try to take you down. You know those are the two things he's going to have as strong points, so those are two things I've been working on a lot."
It will be a war of attrition when Penn fights St. Pierre, and he is ready to show the world who is the superior fighter when Saturday night rolls around.
"It's not a battle of skill, it's a battle of will," said Penn. "He's going to find out, and I'm going to find out, and we're going to find out pretty quick that I'm more skilled than he is, I'm faster than he is, but he's going to try to grind this thing out and I'm going to be there right in his face the whole time.
"I could fight him right now, seriously I could fight him right now. I'm ready."
It's a tough pick but I'd say GSP by decision.
But I will say that he's been gun shy ever since he was knocked out by Serra.
So hopefully he's gotten over that by now (doubt it).
Penn's always had the potential to be an even greater fighter, certainly enough to beat GSP. Unfortunately for him, he's got poor discipline for a pro. His lack of cardio always comes back to haunt him in big fights. No matter what he leads you to believe, he's going to be the same old Penn come Saturday night....
But I will say that he's been gun shy ever since he was knocked out by Serra.
So hopefully he's gotten over that by now (doubt it).
Penn's always had the potential to be an even greater fighter, certainly enough to beat GSP. Unfortunately for him, he's got poor discipline for a pro. His lack of cardio always comes back to haunt him in big fights. No matter what he leads you to believe, he's going to be the same old Penn come Saturday night....
PENN SAYS HIS FUTURE IS ALL ABOUT BIG FIGHTS
As B.J. Penn readies for the biggest fight of his career, and possibly the biggest fight in MMA history, the Hawaiian born fighter is hard pressed to avoid the questions about his future when it comes to weight class. If Penn is victorious over Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on Saturday night he would become the promotion's first ever simultaneous champion in two separate weight classes.
If he were to hold both the lightweight and welterweight titles, Penn has stated that he plans on defending both. With the addition of weight to go up to 170 and fight at welterweight, could the champion make his way back to 155 with ease and stay healthy doing it regularly?
"I know it can be done. Anything can be done if you want it bad enough," Penn told MMAWeekly Radio recently about his desire to fight at 170 and 155. "It's just going to fuel my motivation after this fight, as far as what I wanted to accomplish as an athlete. It would be fighting strictly for financial reasons, after this fight, so I've just got to take care of this fight first to see what's going to happen after."
With fights down the road against top contenders like Kenny Florian and Thiago Alves, Penn insists it's not about titles necessarily, but finding the right opponents, and he knows UFC president Dana White will do anything to make the super fights happen.
"It's really about the particular match-up," answered Penn when asked if it's about weight class or just fighting the best regardless of weight. "People like to watch good fights, everybody wants to see the best guys compete. In boxing, like Dana says, a million times it never got to happen.
"No matter what you say about Dana, or anybody says about him, he really does try to put the two best guys together and he has proven it time and time again. If he could get Fedor to fight one of his guys, within whatever his ideas are someone under their contract, he would try to put the best fight together that he could."
It's also been brought up numerous times that if Penn is able to defeat St. Pierre, fans around the world could ask for a match-up pitting him against who many regard as the pound-for-pound king, Anderson Silva. White continuously insists that the fight between Penn and Silva would not happen, and the current lightweight champion says it may be harder to make happen than what some people think.
"Honestly, 185's not even on my mind right now. And it's like the more you talk to Anderson Silva, the more he's such a nice guy, the more you don't want to fight him. He is just the nicest person," stated Penn.
At the end of the day, he is adamant that his agenda only includes the biggest fights and after his battle with Georges St. Pierre is over, he will re-evaluate where he goes from there.
"It's all about the big fights. That's what fighting is about, it's about big fights," said Penn. "After this fight is done, I've been doing this for 10 years now, with the UFC and K-1 and all that, and I'm just going to have to sit down with my family and sit down with Dana and see after I win this fight, what's next to accomplish and see what there's next to do."
As B.J. Penn readies for the biggest fight of his career, and possibly the biggest fight in MMA history, the Hawaiian born fighter is hard pressed to avoid the questions about his future when it comes to weight class. If Penn is victorious over Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on Saturday night he would become the promotion's first ever simultaneous champion in two separate weight classes.
If he were to hold both the lightweight and welterweight titles, Penn has stated that he plans on defending both. With the addition of weight to go up to 170 and fight at welterweight, could the champion make his way back to 155 with ease and stay healthy doing it regularly?
"I know it can be done. Anything can be done if you want it bad enough," Penn told MMAWeekly Radio recently about his desire to fight at 170 and 155. "It's just going to fuel my motivation after this fight, as far as what I wanted to accomplish as an athlete. It would be fighting strictly for financial reasons, after this fight, so I've just got to take care of this fight first to see what's going to happen after."
With fights down the road against top contenders like Kenny Florian and Thiago Alves, Penn insists it's not about titles necessarily, but finding the right opponents, and he knows UFC president Dana White will do anything to make the super fights happen.
"It's really about the particular match-up," answered Penn when asked if it's about weight class or just fighting the best regardless of weight. "People like to watch good fights, everybody wants to see the best guys compete. In boxing, like Dana says, a million times it never got to happen.
"No matter what you say about Dana, or anybody says about him, he really does try to put the two best guys together and he has proven it time and time again. If he could get Fedor to fight one of his guys, within whatever his ideas are someone under their contract, he would try to put the best fight together that he could."
It's also been brought up numerous times that if Penn is able to defeat St. Pierre, fans around the world could ask for a match-up pitting him against who many regard as the pound-for-pound king, Anderson Silva. White continuously insists that the fight between Penn and Silva would not happen, and the current lightweight champion says it may be harder to make happen than what some people think.
"Honestly, 185's not even on my mind right now. And it's like the more you talk to Anderson Silva, the more he's such a nice guy, the more you don't want to fight him. He is just the nicest person," stated Penn.
At the end of the day, he is adamant that his agenda only includes the biggest fights and after his battle with Georges St. Pierre is over, he will re-evaluate where he goes from there.
"It's all about the big fights. That's what fighting is about, it's about big fights," said Penn. "After this fight is done, I've been doing this for 10 years now, with the UFC and K-1 and all that, and I'm just going to have to sit down with my family and sit down with Dana and see after I win this fight, what's next to accomplish and see what there's next to do."
