Patrick Cote cannot over-emphasize Georges St-Pierre’s contributions to mixed martial arts.
Patrick Cote says Georges St-Pierre is a one-of-a-kind athlete that not even Dana White could control.
The one-time UFC middleweight title challenger caught up fans with his life on Saturday’s episode of the Pull No Punches podcast with Kajan Johnson and Shakiel Mahjouri. Cote, 39, had limitless praised for his fellow retired Canadian fighter.
“The UFC came to Canada because of GSP,” said Cote. “There is no black cloud over his head. There is nothing wrong with that guy. He was pure class inside and outside the cage. He did so much for that sport. The sport is safer and cleaner because of Georges St-Pierre. He was the only one who really, really stayed with his own ideas and didn’t get pressured by Dana White. He left for four years, came back, won the [middleweight] title, ‘f—k that, I don’t want the title anymore,’ retired again. That is insane. He is the only one who was able to do that.”
“Here in Montreal, he has an anti-bullying foundation that is doing quite well,” Cote continued. “He is giving back to his community. If you want a role model for your kid to follow, even if you don’t like MMA, watch his path and what he did in that sport.”
Cote seems to be doing quite well for himself outside of the Octagon. He owns a sports complex specializing in conditioning that trains several NHL players. “The Predator” is also heavily involved with French-Canadian broadcasting, serving as a French color commentator for the UFC and as a TV sports analyst. He owns a real estate company, a sports nutrition company and is partnered in a CBD oil venture.
Cote admitted the sight of his fellow athletes falling on hard times compelled him to prepare for life after fighting. “I saw so many fighters that were broke after their careers, physically and financially,” he expressed. “This sport is so dangerous and it can end so quickly.”
So why do so many other fighters struggle with retirement?
“I think they’re not ready yet or they did not prepare for after their career,” Cote suggested. His own retirement came immediately after a decision loss to Thiago Alves in April of 2017.
“I had decided that would be my last fight, win or lose, way before. I didn’t make the decision based on emotions. This sport is so, so hard and sometimes you need to be selfish. I didn’t tell anybody about my retirement,” he shared. “That was my moment. It was my last time to walk down to the Octagon, the last time hearing my entrance song, the last time Bruce Buffer yelled my name. This is some kind of emotion I will never get back from anything in life. It was important to live that moment for myself.”
Cote was a finalist on season four of The Ultimate Fighter, fought Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight title and has fought the likes of Donald Cerrone, Ricardo Almeida, Stephen Thompson, Tito Ortiz and Chris Leben.