UFC legend Georges St-Pierre claims that Michael Bisping gave him the most headaches inside the octagon during his illustrious career.
St-Pierre faced some of the baddest men on the planet during his multiple title reigns as the welterweight and at one point middleweight, UFC champion of the world. He’s largely responsible for changing the trajectory of MMA as a whole and providing one of the first true superstars in UFC history.
But when it comes to naming his toughest opponent. St-Pierre doesn’t hesitate to name another former UFC champion.
Michael Bisping Toughest Opponent For Georges St-Pierre At UFC 217
“My toughest opponent was Michael Bisping and the guy that give me the toughest fight was BJ Penn in our first fight,” St-Pierre said in an interview with Fighters Only.
St-Pierre and Bisping went to battle at UFC 217, with the Canadian legend winning via third-round submission. It wasn’t an easy challenge for St-Pierre though, as Bisping battered and bloodied the undersized St-Pierre throughout the fight.
St-Pierre had made his return to the octagon after a four-year hiatus ahead of UFC 217. Before that, he had squeaked past Johny Hendricks for his latest welterweight title defense at UFC 167 before retiring in his post-fight interview.
St-Pierre’s lone blemishes of his career came against Matt Serra and Matt Hughes, two former UFC welterweight champions. At the time, his loss to Serra was seen as the biggest upset in MMA history.
Bisping went on to fight Kelvin Gastelum on short notice following the loss to St-Pierre, losing via first-round knockout. He would then announce his retirement and transition into a now-successful career in sports broadcasting.
St-Pierre and Bisping will always be linked to one another for their superfight, and it appears that St-Pierre has no issue giving Bisping the credit that he deserves.
What is your favorite moment of Georges St-Pierre’s career?