GSP’s coach, Freddie Roach, believes that the fight that makes the most sense for the former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion would be against Conor McGregor. This is a fight that the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion has been linked to since his rise in the sport. Georges St-Pierre returned to competition in November […]
GSP’s coach, Freddie Roach, believes that the fight that makes the most sense for the former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion would be against Conor McGregor. This is a fight that the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion has been linked to since his rise in the sport.
Georges St-Pierre returned to competition in November of 2017 when he scored a submission victory in the third round over Michael Bisping at UFC 217. However, shortly after the fight, he had to vacate the title. The reason was due to him dealing with colitis.
Roach told Brendan Schaub at the Below the Belt podcast that he thinks GSP fights one more time and that his next opponent would be McGregor. In fact, he thinks that the fight taking place at lightweight would be perfect.
“I think one more. Just one. The Irish boy. He’s got a big mouth,” he said (H/T to Bloody Elbow).“We’ll make the weight. Georges is on a new diet; it’s doing really great. We wanted to prove that we could go up in the higher weight division, and we did that. Then Dana got mad that we dropped that title.”
There’s also a possibility of GSP chasing for a third world title. If that’s the case then it would be against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov
“We want to go the lower weight now and be a three-time world champion, three weight divisions.”
Conor McGregor keeping a close eye on the sport of MMA is something that he has done his entire career and that includes Georges St-Pierre and Tyron Woodley. The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is not only looking to regain his 155-pound title but also looking at potentially going to another weight class.
The Names
That weight class would be at welterweight, which is ideal considering that there are two names that he could fight and they have made it known that they would accept if offered. Those fighters are current welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and former middleweight and welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.
Conor McGregor Keeping
McGregor made it known in an interview given to his own website, The Mac Life that he’s keeping an eye on them as well as the welterweight and lightweight divisions.
It should be noted that GSP has been working on trying to make it to lightweight in the time away from the Octagon since being out since last November. On the flip Side, Woodley is fresh off a title defense over Darren Till last month and is expected to fight Colby Covington when he’s cleared after undergoing surgery.
”I’m already mapping out what’s next in my head,” he said (H/T to MMAMania). “I know Dustin and Nate is competing. I know the 170 pound belt has also just been defended and I know Tyron, the current welterweight champion, is itching for that one. Like they all fookin’ are. I know Georges is in there test cutting to 155. I know everyone’s around looking for it. So I’m here and I’m ready so let’s see what happens. I’ve got my eye on everyone.”
The UFC 229 pay-per-view event is set to take place on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Former longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre confirmed earlier this year that he would finally be making a return to the Octagon after going into a self-imposed hiatus after his highly controversial split decision victory over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in 2013. UFC President Dana White had even announced that St. Pierre […]
Former longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre confirmed earlier this year that he would finally be making a return to the Octagon after going into a self-imposed hiatus after his highly controversial split decision victory over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in 2013.
UFC President Dana White had even announced that St. Pierre would take on middleweight champion Michael Bisping in his return bout, although White recently pulled the plug on that bout after learning that “Rush” would not be ready to fight until this coming fall.
St. Pierre’s longtime head coach Firas Zahabi, however, recently said that ‘everyone’ knew of St. Pierre’s timeline:
“I think everybody knows Georges has to go through the USADA testing,” Zahabi told MMAJunkie.com. “He has to wait to the fall until he can fight. I think it’s clear on everybody’s side – everybody knows that.”
When St. Pierre does indeed return, Zahabi feels as if only two bouts make sense for him: a title fight with Bisping or a fight with lightweight king Conor McGregor:
“I think I want Georges to fight a high-profile fight,” Zahabi admitted. “He doesn’t need any more to go and try to be champion of the welterweight division and try to defend the title every three-four months. I think he’s done that, and he’s past that. I don’t want to speak for him. I don’t know if it’s a lifestyle he wants to go back to.
“I think he should fight Conor McGregor or Michael Bisping, and I’ll tell you why: Michael Bisping will give him a two-title championship, and if he fights McGregor, it’ll be the greatest fight in UFC history.
“Other than that, I don’t know if there’s anything else that’s super-interesting. I don’t wanna speak for Georges – maybe Georges is thinking of other fights – but the two fights I’m interested in would be a Bisping fight or a McGregor fight. I don’t see why that can’t happen. Maybe it’s a question of time, but it should happen.”
Bisping recently revealed that he’s still dealing with a knee injury that will also keep him out of action until the fall, so a bout between him and St. Pierre is certainly still an option if that is the direction the UFC would like to go.
McGregor, on the other hand, is coming off of a brutal knockout victory over Eddie Alvarez last November at UFC 205 in New York City. He’s currently pursuing a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, but a bout between him and St. Pierre would pit two of the biggest stars in UFC history against each other. The “Notorious” one has competed at 170 pounds in the past, but “Rush” has also said that he could make the 155-pound limit.
While both options are lucrative, at the end of the day, Zahabi would like to see St. Pierre take on Bisping and it’s a fight he believes Bisping deserves:
“Bisping has been fighting for a long time; he deserves a big money fight,” Zahabi stated. “I think fighting Georges would make him the most money he’s ever made in his career. I think he deserves that. I think he’s a big name. I think he’s champion – he should make that money.
“And what do the fans want to see? I think Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre is the No. 1 fight they want to see. So why aren’t we giving it to them? I don’t know.”
Former longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre will make his long awaited return to action later this year when he battles 185-pound titleholder Michael Bisping at a date and venue to be announced. Many have criticized the booking between St. Pierre and Bisping simply because “Rush” is leapfrogging a few deserving middleweight contenders
Former longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre will make his long awaited return to action later this year when he battles 185-pound titleholder Michael Bisping at a date and venue to be announced.
Many have criticized the booking between St. Pierre and Bisping simply because “Rush” is leapfrogging a few deserving middleweight contenders after having not competed since 2013. The Canadian has also never fought at 185 pounds.
As far as the fight goes, however, St. Pierre’s boxing coach Freddie Roach said that it was UFC President Dana White who offered the bout:
“That was the fight that was offered to us, through Dana (White),” Roach told Fight Hub of the Bisping matchup. “(He asked us) ‘do you want him?’ And we all thought about it, and we all said yes.”
St. Pierre has made it clear that he will only be returning for a few fights and Roach said that he’s hoping to have the ex-welterweight champion fight reigning lightweight king Conor McGregor in his final fight:
“With the last fight, we’re hoping (for it) to be (Conor) McGregor.”
“Who wouldn’t want that fight? I mean, it’s a big fight,” Roach said. “We’d have to maybe cut weight, meet in the middle somewhere, but there’s long negotiations (that could) still happen, of course. But, who wouldn’t want that fight?”
A bout between St. Pierre and McGregor would certainly be a blockbuster booking, as it would pit two of the biggest pay-per-view draws in UFC history against each other.
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is on the cusp of a massive comeback. The when and whereabouts are not yet known, although rumours surrounding UFC 206 in Toronto are rampant. An obvious rematch with Nick Diaz, title fight against Tyron Woodley or even a super fight with Conor McGregor are all on the table.
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is on the cusp of a massive comeback. The when and whereabouts are not yet known, although rumours surrounding UFC 206 in Toronto are rampant. An obvious rematch with Nick Diaz, title fight against Tyron Woodley or even a super fight with Conor McGregor are all on the table. Legends like St-Pierre are always going to have many options available, and just a glance at his record shows why.
Arguably the greatest welterweight to ever grace the octagon, ‘Rush’ left the sport behind in a highly unexpected moment back in 2013. Following a super-squeaky split decision win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167, GSP declared he needed some time away. Relinquishing the title he’d held so firmly, St-Pierre simply walked away. Speculation over the Canadian’s return has raged on since that day. After three years, the stars are finally starting to align. There are doubters though.
The Fire
There’s been a lot of talk about GSP’s motivation to come back and fight again. UFC president Dana White recently said he doesn’t believe the former 170-pound king truly has the desire. ‘Rush’ responded by saying White knew nothing about him, and his motivation would be clear within one minute of his next fight starting.
Surely St-Pierre would not be foolish enough to come back to the UFC over pride or self conflict? You’d imagine so, but obviously anything is possible. One interesting clip was picked up by Toothless MMA, and it shows GSP being very truthful to himself. Recognizing his fire was gone back in 2013, St-Pierre admits he wasn’t even trying to finish fights toward the end of his championship reign:
No Finish
“Critics said I was fighting more to win instead of finishing the fight and it’s true. Towards the end, I didn’t have the same anger, I didn’t have the same drive to hurt the guy and to finish it. And it’s a fact. I tried to get it back, but it is very hard and I think the best way to get it back for me is to step out, because it’s more an emotion thing.”
“I was fighting more for winning instead of for going through the guy. I needed to step out to let my hunger go up.”
Motivation is Key
When the news of Georges St-Pierre’s comeback fight is finally made official, there will be plenty of time for debate. For now, ponder this–how would the current UFC crop fare against the motivated GSP that wreaked havoc on the division for eight years?
