Georges St-Pierre isn’t the type of fighter to engage in mind games. So, when it was learned that Nick Diaz would challenge the champion to a title bout at UFC 143, St-Pierre immediately accepted.
Diaz‘s post-fight comments regarding St-Pierre’s injury reportedly enraged the champion. However, “Rush” didn’t seemed bothered by Diaz’s remarks.
“It’s always been the fight I’ve wanted to have,” St-Pierre told QMI Agency during an autograph session in Toronto. “He wanted to have a title fight and he got it. (Calling me out is) the best way to do it and it’s not personal.”
Whether Diaz’s intentions were personal or not, his remarks certainly got St-Pierre’s attention. Diaz defeated BJ Penn at UFC 137 to earn a title shot against St-Pierre, after original challenger Carlos Condit was forced to step aside.
The Stockton native has become notorious for his constant trash talk and belittling his opponents, which is something St-Pierre has become all too familiar with. Opponents such as BJ Penn, Matt Serra and Josh Koscheck have all tried to get under the champion’s skin, only to lose in dominant fashion.
But St-Pierre has said it is only tactic employed by his opponents to frustrate him and force him to fight with emotion.
“I’ve seen it all from everyone before,” he said. “If they’re trying to get into my head and make me fight a bad fight, it’s just mind games and it doesn’t work. I’m just going to focus on hurting him.”
Diaz’s comments are likely just the beginning of this heated rivalry, which will eventually come to fruition on February 6th.
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