Former two-weight UFC champion Georges St-Pierre believes fighting during the COVID-19 pandemic would be a tough task for anyone.
Before the UFC was forced to indefinitely postpone all their events, the plan was for fighters to compete amid the ongoing pandemic starting with UFC 249 this weekend.
But that would also be a lot to ask for — after all, gyms are closed, social distancing measures are in place and cutting weight would be even more difficult. Even the retired St-Pierre is finding new ways to train these days.
“As a martial artist, you always find a way to be creative,” St-Pierre said in a recent Instagram Live session with Tyron Woodley (via MMA Fighting). “Even if you cannot go to the gym, you can find a way to train and do your work. There’s many ways to do it.”
Training is one thing, however. Fighting is another. Some are ready to compete even given the current circumstances. And while St-Pierre believes fighters will have to be creative if they want to fight now, everyone will be ultimately be at a disadvantage:
“It would be hard, however, you have to take it that way,” St-Pierre said. “It would be hard for everybody. It would be equally as hard for your opponent. So you’re both at a disadvantage in a way, you know what I mean? You’re going to have to be creative. Sometimes the person who is the most creative, the one that can adapt the best with an opponent can have the most success.
“When you’re fighting someone, the perfect way to prepare for someone is to become his perfect antagonist. In a situation like this, the same thing here, you’re taken out of your comfort zone and you each have to find a way to make your training and your preparation and to perform, which is very hard but you have to think about your opponent will go through the same thing.”
For now, it looks like no fighter will be competing during the pandemic.
Do you agree with St-Pierre?