Denny Burkholder

UFC welterweight champion Georges "Rush" St-Pierre defends his title vs. Dan "Outlaw" Hardy in GSP's first fight since UFC 100 last summer.

If Hardy manages to win this fight, it will rank among the biggest upsets in MMA history. And if Hardy wins, it almost has to be via TKO or KO, since Hardy's fists are about the only way he gets out of this with a W.

The more likely scenario is that overwhelming favorite GSP takes this kid to school and leaves the cage with the gold. Place your bets.

Round 1: They each land a right jab. St-Pierre takes Hardy down with a double leg. Hardy pulls his leg up into triangle position but can't keep it there because St-Pierre is passing to side control too quickly. Hardy scrambles to his knees and St-Pierre takes his back. St-Pierre starts with a rear naked choke attempt and tries to transition to an armbar, but Hardy escapes to top position. Hardy stands up and is instantly taken back down by St-Pierre.

Hardy with a very tight closed guard. It doesn't matter. St-Pierre breaks free and passes to full mount. Hardy gives up his back and St-Pierre takes it. Hardy stands up and tries to shake free, but ends up back on the mat. St-Pierre slaps on an armbar and cranks on it, to the point where it looks about to snap. Hardy spins out of it and breaks free, surviving the round. 10-9 St-Pierre, maybe 10-8.

Round 2: Hardy is all smiles at the start of Round 2. He is loving this entire experience. Hardy lands a left jab. Inside leg kick by St-Pierre. Right hook by Hardy is dodged by GSP. St-Pierre with a very fast single leg takedown into half guard, then side control. He makes it look so easy. St-Pierre buries a few knees in Hardy's ribs.

St-Pierre tries to pass to full mount and Hardy scrambles, giving up his back again. Hardy shakes loose and ends up on top in GSP's guard. St-Pierre escapes and they're squaring off again. Hardy needs to let his hands go. Left head kick by Hardy is blocked.

Hardy lands a left hook and St-Pierre answers with a big right. Hardy smiles at him. Superman punch by St-Pierre connects, and he follows up with a double leg takedown. 10-9 St-Pierre.

Round 3: Between rounds, Greg Jackson told St-Pierre to stop trying to pass when he takes Hardy down. St-Pierre takes Hardy down again and starts throwing fists from above. Hardy pushes off with his feet and actually connects with some short punches from the bottom. St-Pierre elevates his stance and tries to throw some bombs down at Hardy, but aborts that idea when Hardy tries to take an armbar.

St-Pierre tries to work an armbar from the top, but Hardy pulls free. Hardy escapes to his feet briefly, but St-Pierre keeps a leg on the way up, and throws him back down. St-Pierre is in side control now. He takes Hardy's back but Hardy's hips are high, so he shakes him off. 10-9 St-Pierre heading into the championship rounds.

Round 4: Another takedown by St-Pierre. Hardy scrambles and gives up his back again, but he's able to re-establish full guard. St-Pierre tries to get some striking going, stacking Hardy near the cage. St-Pierre has side control. St-Pierre establishes a kimura and yanks on it, with more than a minute left. Hardy looks ready to tap, but he doesn't. Eventually, he breaks free.

St-Pierre is back in side control. Hardy is unable to do anything but survive and escape on the ground, but he's doing those things pretty well. Still, St-Pierre is just dominating him. 10-9 St-Pierre. Fifth and final round coming up.

Round 5: Hardy's corner says "You've got to hit him now." You don't say. St-Pierre with a straight left into a right leg kick, and a takedown. The crowd is booing. Hardy scrambles to his knees. St-Pierre throws some knees to the ribs. Hardy goes to his back again, holding St-Pierre in half guard. St-Pierre takes another armbar, but aborts it.

Hardy is exhausted. St-Pierre throwing short fists and elbows on the ground. St-Pierre again tries for a kimura and can't hold it. Hardy gets to his feet long enough to be slammed back to the canvas. St-Pierre tries a kneebar at the buzzer. 10-9 St-Pierre, so I score the fight 50-45 for the champ.

Winner: Georges St-Pierre defeats Dan Hardy via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-45) after five rounds to retain the UFC welterweight title.

St-Pierre apologizes to the fans for not being able to finish the fight. Hardy says it was an honor to fight GSP, and he now understands why he's the champ.

When asked why he didn't give up to either of the ugly armbars he was caught in, Hardy tells Joe Rogan "I don't know the meaning of 'tap.'"

GSP has reached the point where virtually everyone is expected to lose to him, so it's no surprise that a relatively one-dimensional fighter like Hardy was expected to get obliterated. For Hardy, lasting five rounds against St-Pierre is a pretty big victory in itself. He probably should have let his hands go a bit more in the early rounds. He was clearly in all-defensive mode on the ground, but with a beast like GSP tossing you around, there's not much shame in that.

I'm not sure St-Pierre has anything to apologize for, either. Hardy simply wasn't going to tap out. Other fighters would have. When you look at it that way, the only thing GSP did "wrong" was that he couldn't break the arm and force a stoppage.

Now comes the hard part: Who does GSP fight next?