Georges St-Pierre still hasn’t officially weighed in with UFC President Dana White on who he wants to fight next, but all signs are pointing towards a title defense against top contender Johny Hendricks.
Earlier this week when appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, St-Pierre said that a move down to lightweight would be easier for him than a move up to middleweight for a fight against 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. He then commented that his next fight was “probably Hendricks.”
On Thursday, White spoke to Bleacher Report regarding St-Pierre’s remarks about his body type allowing him an easier move down in weight than up a division. Are these latest comments proof that St-Pierre just has no desire to face Silva in a proposed superfight, or is something else at work?
“It could be,” White answered when asked if St-Pierre doesn’t want to fight Silva. “At one point before his knee he wanted that fight. I don’t know where his head’s at now. I mean saying he’ll go down to 55, he’s a pretty big dude. It’s interesting.”
If St-Pierre doesn’t request a fight with Silva, he will then have to move his attention to Hendricks, who is waiting in the wings for a title shot.
Judging by White’s comments on Thursday, the organization appears to be in at least the early stages of planning St-Pierre’s next title defense at welterweight against the heavy-handed contender from Texas.
“He’s going to have to get his head into it, that’s who he’s going to fight,” White said about St-Pierre facing Hendricks. “If he doesn’t want to do a superfight, nobody’s going to pressure him into a superfight. That’s up to him. But Johny Hendricks is next and soon. He’s next and soon.”
White went on to say that St-Pierre vs. Hendricks is not a done deal yet because he still hasn’t talked to his welterweight champion to get his opinion on what he wants next.
If St-Pierre doesn’t ask for Silva, however, it looks like Hendricks will finally get his title shot and the UFC will look to put the finishing touches on that bout sooner rather than later.
St-Pierre just recently finished filming his scenes for the new film Captain America: The Winter Soldier and is currently embarking on a media tour for the release of his new book. It looks like a talk with White will also be added to his agenda very soon.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
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