According to head trainer Firas Zahabi, longtime UFC welterweight champion and pound-for-pound great Georges St-Pierre will be cleared to fight this fall.
In a recent interview with ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto, Zahabi said GSP has resumed “gymnastics training” just six months after undergoing surgery in March to repair a torn left ACL. Additionally, Zahabi said he expects GSP to be medically cleared to fight in October, almost exactly nine months from the date of the surgery.
GSP previously tore his right ACL and meniscus in 2011, fighting three times—all wins via decision—before taking a break from the sport of MMA in December 2013.
After tearing his ACL in training while on hiatus, many wondered if GSP would return at all. If Zahabi‘s gut feeling is correct, we have not seen the last of “Rush” inside the UFC Octagon just yet.
“My personal opinion is he still has plenty of competitive juice in him,” Zahabi told Okamoto. “I think he’s got a few fights in him but I don’t want to speak for the guy. He might retire and no one could blame him.”
While the road to recovery will be tough and involved, GSP is a dedicated, disciplined fighter who has already battled back from a serious knee injury before. If anybody can do it, it’s GSP. Zahabi seconds this sentiment.
“It’s looking way better than the first time,” Zahabi said. “We just finished training and were talking about how his quadriceps got back to size so much faster this time around.”
Should GSP be medically cleared in October, Zahabi said they would then begin “light martial arts training … nothing crazy” and allow the situation to pan out from there. Nothing will be rushed, nothing will be forced and GSP will not make his return before he feels he’s ready.
Until then, the 170-pound division will see plenty of action, as champion Johny Hendricks will rematch Robbie Lawler in early 2015 and top contenders Rory MacDonald and Tarec Saffiedine will face off October 4 at UFC Fight Night 54.
Add in the streaking Tyron Woodley and Hector Lombard, and it’s clear that GSP will have plenty of options when—or if—he decides to return.
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