Former UFC welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks may be squaring off with No. 8-ranked Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in the main event of tomorrow’s (February 6, 2016) UFC Fight Night 82, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten about his 2013 clash with Georges St-Pierre. Fighting for St-Pierre’s then long-held 170-pound title at UFC 167, the
Former UFC welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks may be squaring off with No. 8-ranked Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in the main event of tomorrow’s (February 6, 2016) UFC Fight Night 82, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten about his 2013 clash with Georges St-Pierre.
Fighting for St-Pierre’s then long-held 170-pound title at UFC 167, the two went back and forth for five hard rounds with Hendricks seemingly getting the better of the Canadian star. In fact, much of the MMA community felt as if “Bigg Rigg” had done enough to win which is why most were stunned when “Rush” was handed a split-decision victory.
St-Pierre would vacate his title soon after, going into a semi-retirement that has remained intact to this very day. The rumors and questions have run rampant ever since, however, and 2016 could be the year that GSP makes his return to action.
While I’m sure Hendricks wouldn’t turn down a rematch with his former foe, “Bigg Rigg” actually recently advised St-Pierre to stay away from fighting, claiming that his next fight would just be worse:
“Enjoy that you were the best fighter for what? 4-5 years? Enjoy that. Don’t come back just because you had a close decision that you thought you won, but it wasn’t close. The next is going to be worse and that’s the thing, I’d really like him … to move on. Whenever it’s my turn and I know it’s time for me to go, I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘I’m going to train to comeback.’ I know whenever I’m beaten and I’m no longer at the top, it’s time to hang them up.” Hendricks told MMAJunkie.
While some feel that “Rush” will make his much anticipated return to action at some point, it is also very possible that we’ve seen the end of one of the sport’s most iconic and prolific champions.
Do you agree with “Bigg Rigg”, or should the 34 year old St-Pierre see if he has one last run left in him?
If you were there, the last image of Georges St-Pierre’s awkward exit from the UFC probably remains etched in your mind. Sitting painfully on a stage in a MGM Grand Garden Arena conference room, his face looking like someone had just run a cheese grate…
If you were there, the last image of Georges St-Pierre’s awkward exit from the UFC probably remains etched in your mind. Sitting painfully on a stage in a MGM Grand Garden Arena conference room, his face looking like someone had just run a cheese grater across it, every shade of red, accentuated by blue bruising and bloodshot eyes.
His tie knot hanging below his collar, his lip leaking blood, his boss irrationally fuming aside him, he had somehow walked out the winner, snuck out with the belt that had seemed to be his personal possession before he faced the prying, powerful hands of Johny Hendricks.
The world thought Hendricks had won; the judges disagreed. In the end, it allowed him to walk out in the dignified way his exemplary career demanded: if not gracefully, at least on top.
At first, we thought it might be temporary. At the time, he said he could not definitively call it a retirement, but as the weeks went on, we began to wonder. As the months went on, we began to worry. Now, it’s been almost two years, and most of us were sure: GSP was never coming back.
And suddenly, a glimmer. Earlier this week, St-Pierre told Canadian news outlet RDS that he’s entertaining thoughts of a return to the UFC Octagon.
“I’m starting to get the taste, more and more, to come back,” St-Pierre said. “I watch the fights and see what’s going on in my division, and I keep myself in shape. It’s like a knife that I have to keep sharp if I ever decide to jump back in the mix. I’m pretty sure it won’t be in 2015, but I don’t know yet.”
Color me conflicted. On one hand, it is always interesting to see how legends walk back through the door. On the other, it is concerning to see him risk the dream of leaving the sport on top after leaving on his own terms.
It was hard enough the first time around. It was uncomfortable hearing him talk about his inability to remember parts of his fights, confessing to blurry vision, admitting that he got so obsessive about competing that his mind would get dark, that he feared damaging his brain. The champ, always guarded in his comments, was bluntly telling us his world was closing in on him. So it makes me uneasy to hear he might want to come back for more of the same.
Is his urge understandable? Of course it is. Competitively, it must be nearly impossible to extinguish or even control the fire that led to such all-consuming drive. Athletically, St-Pierre might well have something left. Despite nearly two years away, he is only 34, and after a series of injuries during his final years in active competition, his body might have finally had a chance to heal.
As it was, even with his body compromised, he left on the heels of a 12-fight win streak, a stretch that saw him defeat studs like Carlos Condit, B.J. Penn, Nick Diaz and Matt Hughes, among others. At one point, he won 33 consecutive rounds, a stretch believed to be a record in major mixed martial arts.
But when that streak ended (during a unanimous-decision win over Jake Shields), so, too, did his air of invulnerability. In his next bout, he was nearly knocked out by a head kick from Condit. Then he mostly controlled Diaz on the ground, but after that, Hendricks battered him greater than anyone not named Matt Serra, landing 142 strikes in their five-round bout, including 85 significant strikes.
In the first eight fights of his streak, he was hit 367 times; over his last four bouts, he was hit 508 times, making it clear something had caught up with him, whether his opponents or his injuries or the evolution of the fight game. Whatever it was, the gap separating him from the pack had clearly narrowed.
And yet, it’s natural to let the mind reflect on the timing of his musing. St-Pierre was one of the first fighters to really push for regular drug testing in an attempt to clean up the sport. The UFC recently began its drug testing partnership with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and St-Pierre says he has noticed some differences.
“There are things that don’t surprise me,” he said. “There are guys whose physiques changed. They no longer look the same fighters they were before. I think it scares many people.”
If he is watching intently, and seeing these changes, perhaps he believes he would be returning to a level playing field. And perhaps that would be too tempting a scenario to bypass.
Perhaps he only looked as far as current champ Robbie Lawler, saw how possible it is to have a late-career renaissance, figured he could do the same. Perhaps he decided he gave his longtime teammate Rory MacDonald a chance to win the belt, and now he has no qualms about reclaiming it. Perhaps he wants to pad his nest egg. Perhaps he just misses that sense of nervous energy before you walk to the cage, the one that lets you know you’re doing something meaningful, that you’re able to conquer fear to chase dreams.
Perhaps it’s something else completely. Whatever it may be, it’s a personal decision. It’s his body, his mind, his legacy. And maybe as he sees it, it’s his belt, too. He deserves to call his own shots, even if it makes any of us uncomfortable. Will I watch a GSP comeback? Yes, of course I will. MMA is a sport that often fills us with conflict, and this is just another example. Unlike other sports, we don’t play in metaphors. The hurt is real and often obvious.
When a champion explains his vulnerabilities as GSP did that final night, it can only increase the intensity of our impressions to follow. Even if our perceptions of him as a fighter did not change, our perceptions of his humanity did. That’s why that image of him on the UFC 167 post-fight conference stage, the champion bloodied and bruised, is so powerful. That’s why I want it to be the final one.
Georges St-Pierre may go down as one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the history of the sport. As multiple MMA writers continue to speculate whether or not he is going to return to the sport, he has taken on quite a different role. Instead of …
Georges St-Pierre may go down as one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the history of the sport. As multiple MMA writers continue to speculate whether or not he is going to return to the sport, he has taken on quite a different role. Instead of letting his fists do the talking, GSP has become a spokesman of sorts for the conversations that much of the MMA world has not wanted to discuss. It would be vital to see him stay in this position, regardless of whether he returns to competition or not.
The controversy surrounding GSP stepping away from the cage started even before he announced his time away, right after taking a controversial win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167. Before he could even get out of the cage, he was stammering when trying to decide whether or not he was going to compete anymore. This led to UFC President Dana White claiming that the fighter “owed” it to the sport to give Hendricks a return bout (via MMA Weekly).
That moment can be considered the spark that began to sour “Rush’s” relationship with the UFC. Soon after, he was criticizing the organization for its inability to remove PEDs from the realm of competition.
It’s one of the reasons why I stopped,” St-Pierre told RDS.ca. (a French-Canadian news outlet, translation via USA Today). “Not really to [teach] them a lesson, because it penalizes me, too. But I wanted to do something for the sport that I love. I see the direction in which it goes, and I think it makes no sense. This is stupid.”
In August, an interview with Bloody Elbow revealed a number of other issues that St-Pierre was willing to discuss out in the open, such as his stance on a fighter’s union.
“I believe it will come someday in MMA, not because things are bad right now but because it’s just part of the normal evolution of all major sports” St-Pierre said. “I’m not a ‘politician’ and people know that I’m not a confrontational person or someone who likes to be in front, so it would be hard for me to lead that kind of initiative. But I will never be against something that is good for the fighters.”
By his own admission in said interview, St-Pierre was never the type of individual to get out in front of situations such as these. But the fact that he is standing up now is an excellent move, and he should continue to do so, whether or not he comes back to competition.
Unlike many other fighters, St-Pierre is one of the biggest stars in the sport. His crossover appeal has led to many other opportunities, and the fact that he can step away on his own terms shows how much he has grown. In doing so, he’s amassed a large following of fans who would not be quick to turn their backs on him. As seen in the past, the UFC is smart to discredit fighters who have stepped out of line, but they would have a difficult time doing so with St-Pierre. But that wouldn’t stop them from trying.
“The thing that’s bothered him his entire career, he just threw it back on all the other guys that are fighting,” White said in a report by MMA Junkie. “Which is unfair to the guys that aren’t using anything. Everything that Georges St-Pierre said is a little kooky.”
Still, St-Pierre has never found himself in the negative views due to a failed drug test or public misstep. Having that background would give him much more credibility if he were to continue speaking against things that he sees going on in the sport.
Throughout the history of sports, change has come when athletes took the onus to stand for something different. Major League Baseball had Kurt Flood; perhaps Georges St-Pierre will be remembered in the same way if he keeps down this path.
During an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company while promoting his new documentary, Takedown: The DNA of GSP, former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre discussed a little known facet of his personality that has both fueled his professional life and inhibited his personal one: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to St. Pierre, not only has he suffered from the mental anxiety disorder for some time now, but it was the main reason he decided to vacate his title indefinitely following his UFC 167 win over Johny Hendricks.
It was going to drive me crazy. That’s why I took that break.
Everything you do is oriented around that goal. But the same thing could be bad for a normal person in normal life. As a fighter it’s a good thing to have it, because it makes you better because you completely obsess about being a better martial artist.
You hear that? Not even GSP’s brain can ‘andle his riddum’ (I am so going to Hell).
During an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company while promoting his new documentary, Takedown: The DNA of GSP, former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre discussed a little known facet of his personality that has both fueled his professional life and inhibited his personal one: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to St. Pierre, not only has he suffered from the mental anxiety disorder for some time now, but it was the main reason he decided to vacate his title indefinitely following his UFC 167 win over Johny Hendricks.
It was going to drive me crazy. That’s why I took that break.
Everything you do is oriented around that goal. But the same thing could be bad for a normal person in normal life. As a fighter it’s a good thing to have it, because it makes you better because you completely obsess about being a better martial artist.
You hear that? Not even GSP’s brain can ‘andle his riddum’ (I am so going to Hell).
While St. Pierre had mentioned “some personal problems” in need of fixing during his UFC 167 post-fight interview, it is interesting to note that St. Pierre has never *actually* been clinically diagnosed with the disorder to public knowledge. And, as Fightland pointed out, “Only about two percent of the population has OCD.”
This is not to say that GSP is lying, per se, but that he could be simply confusing the meticulous, obsessive nature of being a world class athlete and champion with the symptoms related to OCD. There’s no denying that St. Pierre has been groomed into one of the most calculated fighters on the planet over the years, but (again, as Fightland pointed out), there’s a big difference between having OCD and simply being a perfectionist in the aspect of your life where it is most necessary to be one.
Of course, the correlation between top athletes and anxiety disorders is a well documented one, and we will only truly know the gravitas of St. Pierre’s condition if/when he decides to delve into it further. One thing’s for sure, St. Pierre will not be making a return to the UFC until he has his mind sorted out.
“I will be happy doing it again until the obsessiveness takes over and makes me unhappy again,” he told the CBC.
Perhaps this is the “dark place” St. Pierre was referring to in the lead-up to his fight with Nick Diaz, maybe? In any case, we just hope that St. Pierre has found some sense of serenity in his post-UFC life, regardless of whether or not we’ll ever see him fight again.
During an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company while promoting his new documentary, Takedown: The DNA of GSP, former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre discussed a little known facet of his personality that has both fueled his professional life and inhibited his personal one: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to St. Pierre, not only has he suffered from the mental anxiety disorder for some time now, but it was the main reason he decided to vacate his title indefinitely following his UFC 167 win over Johny Hendricks.
It was going to drive me crazy. That’s why I took that break.
Everything you do is oriented around that goal. But the same thing could be bad for a normal person in normal life. As a fighter it’s a good thing to have it, because it makes you better because you completely obsess about being a better martial artist.
You hear that? Not even GSP’s brain can ‘andle his riddum’ (I am so going to Hell).
During an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company while promoting his new documentary, Takedown: The DNA of GSP, former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre discussed a little known facet of his personality that has both fueled his professional life and inhibited his personal one: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to St. Pierre, not only has he suffered from the mental anxiety disorder for some time now, but it was the main reason he decided to vacate his title indefinitely following his UFC 167 win over Johny Hendricks.
It was going to drive me crazy. That’s why I took that break.
Everything you do is oriented around that goal. But the same thing could be bad for a normal person in normal life. As a fighter it’s a good thing to have it, because it makes you better because you completely obsess about being a better martial artist.
You hear that? Not even GSP’s brain can ‘andle his riddum’ (I am so going to Hell).
While St. Pierre had mentioned “some personal problems” in need of fixing during his UFC 167 post-fight interview, it is interesting to note that St. Pierre has never *actually* been clinically diagnosed with the disorder to public knowledge. And, as Fightland pointed out, “Only about two percent of the population has OCD.”
This is not to say that GSP is lying, per se, but that he could be simply confusing the meticulous, obsessive nature of being a world class athlete and champion with the symptoms related to OCD. There’s no denying that St. Pierre has been groomed into one of the most calculated fighters on the planet over the years, but (again, as Fightland pointed out), there’s a big difference between having OCD and simply being a perfectionist in the aspect of your life where it is most necessary to be one.
Of course, the correlation between top athletes and anxiety disorders is a well documented one, and we will only truly know the gravitas of St. Pierre’s condition if/when he decides to delve into it further. One thing’s for sure, St. Pierre will not be making a return to the UFC until he has his mind sorted out.
“I will be happy doing it again until the obsessiveness takes over and makes me unhappy again,” he told the CBC.
Perhaps this is the “dark place” St. Pierre was referring to in the lead-up to his fight with Nick Diaz, maybe? In any case, we just hope that St. Pierre has found some sense of serenity in his post-UFC life, regardless of whether or not we’ll ever see him fight again.
Georges St-Pierre recently relinquished his welterweight title and left the sport of MMA, but plans to rob the UFC legend of his championship status appear to have begun immediately after his UFC 167 win over Johny Hendricks.
Speaking to rep…
Georges St-Pierre recently relinquished his welterweight title and left the sport of MMA, but plans to rob the UFC legend of his championship status appear to have begun immediately after his UFC 167 win over Johny Hendricks.
Speaking to reporter Jean-Rene Dufort on the French-Canadian television show Infoman (interview begins at 40:49), GSP said that his championship strap from the event was taken from him while he was preparing for the post-fight press conference (translation courtesy of Quebec native Cyrus Etemadi).
“I was taking a shower after the fight, ” St-Pierre said. “And I was suiting up, with my tie, and afterwards they came to get the belt, and they left with it without even telling me.”
The reporter then asked if GSP still had any of his belts, to which the champ replied, “I have belts,” he said. “I have belts from my previous fights. But not the one from the last fight, unfortunately.”
In context, it appears the “they” in question refers to UFC staff, meaning this was no random act of thievery.
Immediately following GSP’s fight against Hendricks, UFC president Dana Whiteshowcased a criticism toward his 170-pound champion we had never seen. Reports circulated that White and the UFC tried to keep GSP out of the post-fight press conference, but conflicting reports also emerged that this was not the case.
If GSP’s report that his belt was taken while he dressed for the press conference are to be taken seriously, some contrary evidence needs to be addressed.
First, the belt was presented to GSP at the post-fight press conference. During his interview with Infoman, GSP said it was taken while he was preparing for this media obligation and that he still does not have it in his possession, so some loose ends need to be tied before solid conclusions can be drawn.
Still, this recent interview with Infoman added to GSP’s previous comments that he was not wanted at the post-fight presser paints an interesting picture.
If GSP’s recent words are true—and, admittedly, it seems like a strange story to fabricate—this serves as a smear on the UFC and the way it handles its fighters and business practices. Would they take GSP’s belt without reason?
Conversely, if it surfaces that GSP’s words were deceitful (and the belt was right there post-fight), it would demonstrate some animosity toward the UFC on GSP’s part, or it would show that he is speaking in riddles and refusing to expose full truths.
Stay tuned as more details emerge regarding the case.
