The Karate Blitz

1.  WILL GSP ENGAGE WITH DIAZ ON THE FEET? The answer wasn't exactly "no", but he basically stayed out of his punching range until he would shoot in for a takedown.  He also landed a few shots and then moved away at an angle and not directly backing up.  In the third round he had a few exchanges on the feet and his face started to show some of the damage.  After that, he did his best to stick to his gameplan. 2.  ARE WE DISCOUNTING THE GRACIE BJJ BLACK BELT IN THIS FIGHT? Despite fighting off his back for a lot of the match, GSP's top control was careful enough so as to not put him in any serious danger even though Diaz kept looking for an opportunity.  GSP's awareness kept him out of harm's way for almost the entire fight 3.  IS HENDRICKS TWO-DIMENSIONAL? It is hard to say Hendricks isn't two-dimensional in that he really didn't vary his attack, but kept Condit on his feet the entire match.  Any time Condit threw a knee, Hendricks too...

1.  WILL GSP ENGAGE WITH DIAZ ON THE FEET? We've seen the emergence of GSP's jab- as Josh Koscheck can attest- but what about the rest of his striking arsenal?  Has he added any wrinkles to his striking game that he plans to unveil to prove he can also come forward non-stop?  Most assume GSP will limit the amount of time they spend on their feet, but maybe GSP has other plans for the mouthy Stockton striker. 2.  ARE WE DISCOUNTING THE GRACIE BJJ BLACK BELT IN THIS FIGHT? With so much focus on the indefatigable boxing game of Nick Diaz, his superb submission game gets overlooked.  Knowing GSP's strategy will likely rely on taking Diaz down and keeping him there, how will Diaz fight off his back?  And with the amount of time GSP spends smothering his opponents on the ground, won't that mean even more opportunities for Diaz to throw up his legs for an arm bar or kimura? 3.  IS HENDRICKS TWO-DIMENSIONAL? We know about his one-punch knockout power...

JOHNY HENDRICKS VS. CARLOS CONDIT Johny Hendricks's five fight win streak in the welterweight division is almost as impressive as how he's won those fights- a mix of dominant wrestling and some sterling knockout power.  Condit, who has never been knocked out, brings Hendricks his sternest test, boasting a well-rounded mix of striking and submission skills.  Hendricks doesn't change much- he will either bomb you with his powerful left hand or take you down and rain misery there.  With that in mind, will Condit employ the same strategy he used to grind out a victory against voluminous striker Nick Diaz?  Where he would land a few strikes and then circle out of range?  He kicked Diaz quite a bit but against a top-tier wrestler like Hendricks those kicks translates into easy takedowns as it happened with Georges St. Pierre.  And does Hendricks have the cardio to keep up with Condit if he keeps the fight at a safe distance?  And has Hendricks fallen s...

Georges St.Pierre's solid performance solved the mystery of his knee injury with a unanimous decision victory over an active Carlos Condit.  The next mystery brings the test of crisp boxing, dangerous submission techniques and brutal cardio of Stockton tough guy Nick Diaz. But it's really Diaz that has the biggest mystery to solve, with GSP's dominant wrestling controlling opponents takedown after relentless takedown.  GSP can even use the threat of takedown to take away some of the edge Diaz holds in boxing, much like Cain did to JDS, but Diaz fears little so expect him to welcome those takedowns. The ground could be the most interesting part of the fight as GSP's top control wilts strong fighters over the rounds, but also where Diaz and his long limbs can end the fight with any number of submissions. If it stays on the feet, GSP could likely follow lightweight champion Benson Henderson's approach with brother Nate Diaz, who possesses a similar fighting sty...