The return of Georges St-Pierre is inching closer to reality with each passing day.
He is ready to take the next step. In an interview with Ram Gilboa for Bloody Elbow, GSP let it be known that he is in negotiations with the UFC and will be starting the process to be tested by USADA.
The former undisputed welterweight champion has long been outspoken about performance-enhancing drugs in the sport and has been vocal in his support of the USADA testing in the UFC, via Ryan McKinnell of Yahoo Sports.
In the interview with Gilboa, GSP stated that he would have begun his testing in Las Vegas on August 10. He was also candid about receiving an exemption, stating, “I don’t want to be an exception, because I was very outspoken about performance-enhancing drugs. It would be bad for my reputation if I would have an exemption—I don’t want to have a free pass, I want to be like everybody else.”
Who is on his radar? Perhaps the current welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley?
GSP said that Michael Bisping was originally the opponent offered, but negotiations stalled once the UFC sold. Now, Bisping is scheduled to fight Dan Henderson in a rematch of their UFC 100 encounter.
A second fight with Nick Diaz would also interest GSP as well.
The Canadian star mentioned that he is still a welterweight, and that makes the fight with Woodley the logical decision. The new champion called for the fight soon after winning the gold, stating he only wanted “money fights,” per Marc Raimondi of MMAFighting.com. GSP’s return against Woodley would surely be a premiere bout the UFC would love to have atop a marquee sooner than later.
GSP’s return is still not official, but with each passing day, it seems more like an inevitability. It is time for the UFC and GSP to come to terms, dot the i’s, cross the t’s and put him back under the bright lights fighting for gold. And there’s no better place than Madison Square Garden for that to happen.
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