Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA’s Most Dangerous Weapons

---

5. Georges St. Pierre’s Power Double-Leg

St. Pierre’s methods inside the Octagon seem to draw more and more critics these days, but no one can dispute their effectiveness. It is a recurring image in a GSP fight, one that begins with his opponents getting planted on their backs repeatedly and ends with the welterweight champion’s hand being raised in victory.

What makes the Canadian’s takedown dominance even more impressive is his lack of an amateur wrestling background. As his career progressed, St. Pierre became confident enough in his wrestling to consider a tryout for the Canadian Olympic team. While that dream never became a reality, many foes have found themselves struggling to overcome St. Pierre’s suffocating dominance from top position. Achieving that position is the beauty of St. Pierre’s game, as he shoots with lightning-quick precision before driving his victims forcefully into the canvas. Making matters more complicated is his solid jab, which keeps opponents guessing while making the threat of the power double-leg all the more dangerous.

In his UFC 100 win over feared striker Thiago Alves, St. Pierre took the Brazilian down an unfathomable 10 times en route to a one-sided victory. In his next outing, fans were convinced that knockout artist Dan Hardy had at least a fighting chance to put St. Pierre to sleep at UFC 111 -- until the champion made sure the cocksure Englishman spent most of his 25 minutes in the cage looking up at the ceiling.

When he returns from injury, it is unclear if St. Pierre’s takedowns will be as crisp as they were prior to reconstructive knee surgery, but it is a question future challengers will no doubt be forced to answer.

Continue Reading » Hook Shot