Georges St-Pierre will now face Carlos Condit in the main event at UFC 137.
After learning that Condit would replace former challenger Nick Diaz, this title bout has been met with an overwhelming amount of intrigue and a positive response.
Perhaps the only negative aspect that could come out of this bout is that head trainer Greg Jackson has decided to opt out of training either fighter. Seeing as how both St-Pierre and Condit are teammates, it would make sense for Jackson to have a lesser role in the bout rather than be criticized for picking favourites.
Jackson expressed his thoughts on the upcoming bout between St-Pierre and Condit and said he was prepared for this type of situation. While he said he is not a fan of the idea of competing against a fellow teammate, he understands it is a smart business move in order to promote the event and both fighters’ careers.
So, does this mean Greg Jackson’s presence will be sorely missed?
Well, not necessarily.
Obviously not having Jackson in their corner, physically, might be a bit difficult at first. But the idea of no longer of having Jackson in a leadership role creates a great opportunity for other trainers like Phil Nurse and John Danaher to step in and take control and showcase their abilities as coaches. Each trainer has had previous experience working with each fighter individually, and they know how to formulate strategies based on their skill-set and experience.
Not to mention, the knowledge both St-Pierre and Condit can take from their experience from working with Jackson will surely benefit them—especially for St-Pierre, who is one of the most intelligent and strategic fighters in mixed martial arts.
Although the concept of both teammates competing against each other might intrigue a lot of fans, realistically, neither fighter has trained with each other extensively enough to worry at the thought of being exposed. So this bout makes even more sense on all levels.
For the first time, fans will witnessing be a bout between two teammates that will certainly break the proverbial wall in regards to providing more competition, and it could allow other bouts between teammates to come into existence in the future.
Both fighters are a product of Greg Jackson, and the performance they will put on at UFC 137 will not only settle the old adage of “teammate vs. teammate,” but it will also give a better indication of who actually is the better fighter.
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