Although Dana White has been skeptical in the past, former UFC 170-pound king Georges St-Pierre is once again hyping a potential announcement that MMA fans might be interested in.
From the sounds of it, at the UFC 206 event in Toronto in December, t…
Although Dana White has been skeptical in the past, former UFC 170-pound king Georges St-Pierre is once again hyping a potential announcement that MMA fans might be interested in.
From the sounds of it, at the UFC 206 event in Toronto in December, there could be a return announcement made.
“All the stars are aligned, my friend,” St-Pierre told MMAFighting.com “I’m not lying to you, it’s not done yet. I want to go back to fighting. I don’t have to. I would like to, because I feel I’m in my prime right now. ”
GSP continued, “We put our cards on the table, see what’s going to happen. I think my agents are talking to the new owners pretty soon. So we’re going to have some news.”
UFC 205 takes place on December 10, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The MMA world got what is hopefully a sign of things to come when a report surfaced earlier today that decorated former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre would finally return to action at December 10’s UFC 206 pay-per-view (PPV) from Toronto. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but with St. Pierre recently enrolling in
The MMA world got what is hopefully a sign of things to come when a report surfaced earlier today that decorated former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre would finally return to action at December 10’s UFC 206 pay-per-view (PPV) from Toronto.
Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but with St. Pierre recently enrolling in the UFC’s drug testing protocol with USADA – a requirement for un-retiring fighters – hope is understandably palpable for the all-time great to return to the Octagon.
Even though his last several fights were derided as boring and safe, albeit wholly dominant, decision wins, it’s safe to say that something has been missing ever since the soft-spoken Canadian superstar vacated the title after his controversial split decision win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in November 2013. St. Pierre was a draw unlike any other; a draw especially unlike the loudmouth requirements that are seemingly a must in today’s fast-paced, social media-driven MMA world.
Not to sound bitter, because both the UFC and MMA as a whole are undoubtedly at an all-new level of excitement and exposure, and that can only be a good thing for the sport. But St. Pierre, who could bring in big numbers without fabricating any sort of bad blood, would simply add a master from another time who was arguably (maybe?) still in his prime, a dynamic that would make for must-see action.
And with the UFC recently having been purchased by talent group WME-IMG for a record-breaking $4 billion, GSP’s potential return couldn’t come at a better time for the new owners, or Dana White, either. While MMA is hot right now thanks to the Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz brawl that most likely broke records at last weekend’s UFC 202, overall, difference-making star power was on the decline in the UFC this year.
Of course, there were the controversial drug test failures of UFC 200 headliners Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar, and while those two will reportedly receive somewhat shortened sentences based on the circumstances (Jones has a strange defense for his failure), the damage was obviously done to the UFC’s so-called “biggest event ever” marquee of UFC 200. Jones hasn’t been able to stay out of trouble, and at this point only he can prove he can finally stop standing in his way of being the most dominant competitor MMA has ever witnessed.
McGregor, while still a massive star in his own right, had cooled off a bit from his second-round submission loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196. He got it back at UFC 202 – controversial or not – so now he’ll continue on as the game’s biggest star. The only other athlete to give him a run for his money as the UFC’s biggest name was Ronda Rousey, and we’re simply uncertain of when or if the onetime bantamweight queen will ever return to the cage.
This week, White confirmed that Rousey wouldn’t be fighting at the promotion’s long-awaited New York debut of UFC 2015 on November 12, as if we truly needed confirmation of that. We didn’t. Rousey had some minor knee surgery done a couple months ago as well, yet it’s not her physical health that’s keeping her from returning for what she lost. The fight game could certainly use by far its biggest female star back in the game, but business rolls on.
That’s why a St. Pierre return would be so huge. It comes at the right time when Jones may be forced to miss UFC 205 due to his USADA punishment and Rousey is out, so while New York is still very much up in the air, the UFC could knock it out of the park only a month later by simply confirming that St. Pierre is back.
The fights available for him are absolutely huge, as bouts with McGregor, Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping, his long-rumored super fight with Anderson Silva, or even a welterweight title fight with Tyron Woodley would all do big business.
Respect his accomplishments or hate his style, you can’t deny that St. Pierre is just good for the fight game.
As much as the UFC wants megastars for the Madison Square Garden debut of the Octagon, they know they simply cannot push fighters to return quicker than they are capable of.
That includ…
As much as the UFC wants megastars for the Madison Square Garden debut of the Octagon, they know they simply cannot push fighters to return quicker than they are capable of.
That includes Ronda Rousey.
UFC president Dana White told ESPN recently that the former UFC female bantamweight champion will not return for UFC 205 this November.
“She’s definitely not fighting in New York,” White said. “I’m actually going to start building the New York card this week.”
Rousey (12-1) has not fought since losing the belt to Holly Holm last November in Australia. The 29-year-old underwent a minor knee surgery earlier this summer.
As much as the UFC wants megastars for the Madison Square Garden debut of the Octagon, they know they simply cannot push fighters to return quicker than they are capable of.
That includ…
As much as the UFC wants megastars for the Madison Square Garden debut of the Octagon, they know they simply cannot push fighters to return quicker than they are capable of.
That includes Ronda Rousey.
UFC president Dana White told ESPN recently that the former UFC female bantamweight champion will not return for UFC 205 this November.
“She’s definitely not fighting in New York,” White said. “I’m actually going to start building the New York card this week.”
Rousey (12-1) has not fought since losing the belt to Holly Holm last November in Australia. The 29-year-old underwent a minor knee surgery earlier this summer.
With UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor’s business with Nate Diaz at welterweight coming to a conclusion for the time being, it is time for the Irish champ to come back down to his championship weight to defend his throne. The man with the first claim to a shot at McGregor is interim 145-pound champion Jose
With UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor’s business with Nate Diaz at welterweight coming to a conclusion for the time being, it is time for the Irish champ to come back down to his championship weight to defend his throne.
The man with the first claim to a shot at McGregor is interim 145-pound champion Jose Aldo, who soundly defeated former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar to clinch the UFC’s interim featherweight strap at UFC 200 this past July.
Aldo’s head-coach Andre Pederneiras recently joined The MMA Hour to discuss a unification bout between his protege and ‘The Notorious One’, claiming he prayed for McGregor to defeat Diaz this past Saturday (August 20, 2016):
“For sure, for sure, I prayed for him to win,” he said. “Now he either goes back to his division and make a match for Aldo…I don’t understand, because one more time he wanted to fight Nate, but not give Aldo an opportunity for another fight.
I cannot understand him. Now he says maybe he goes to 155. No, he need to go down and drop his weight down to 145 and give a match to Aldo. He deserves that.”
UFC President Dana White said that McGregor’s next bout will definitely be a title defense of the belt he won this past December, and Pederneiras has full confidence in White’s claim:
“First of all, I will always believe in Dana,” Pederneiras said. “If Dana says it, he needs to go. I don’t think he’s confident to fight Aldo again. He knows that one punch don’t say anything to anybody, if I am better or the other guy’s better.
I still have to talk with Sean Shelby,” he said. “I spoke to him a little after the Conor fight and he asked me to call him next week — I’ll probably call him and Dana next to see what happens in the future.”
When asked if a fight with McGregor would be the only fight Aldo would take, unless ‘The Pride of Ireland’ is forced to drop the title, Pederneiras was quick to respond:
Former lightweight title challenger Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone was entering the last fight on his current contract at UFC 202 last night (August 20, 2016) where he took on Rick Story in a welterweight bout. Cerrone was able to leave the Octagon successful after smashing Story with a brutal combination in the second round, although he
Former lightweight title challenger Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone was entering the last fight on his current contract at UFC 202 last night (August 20, 2016) where he took on Rick Story in a welterweight bout. Cerrone was able to leave the Octagon successful after smashing Story with a brutal combination in the second round, although he admitted in the aftermath of the bout that he had a rough day prior to fight night:
“I just woke up – worst headache I’ve ever had man,” Cerrone told MMAJunkie after the fight. “All day I was just laying in bed, tired, my shoulders were sore. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. I forgot the key to my Harley. It was a (expletive)-up day. I was trying to get out of first gear and couldn’t do it. That’s what you train for, though, to beat someone on your worst day.”
In recent times, we have seen many fighters test the waters of free agency after fighting out their contracts, but Cerrone is a unique character, and he typically goes about things in his own way. With that being said, “Cowboy” confirmed that he isn’t leaving the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion:
“I let my management team handle that because all I do is fight,” Cerrone said. “I’m a UFC guy, man. I’m not going anyway. They’re going to work out that, and I’m looking to get 50 fights in this mother(expletive). How about that? … I need to get it done, I want to get it done right away, so we’ll see.
“I just talked with (new UFC owner Ari Emanuel), and they seem very happy with me. I see big things in this company. I feel like I’m a veteran of the sport, and I love it. I love fighting for the UFC. This is my drug. I need it as much as I possible can. I feel like a crackhead up here already looking for another fight. It’s good.”
Not only does he plan to stay with the UFC, but he knows exactly what he would like next. Despite usually being unconcerned with the title, Cerrone said that he’d like to drop back down to 155-pounds after winning three straight at welterweight for a rematch with current lightweight boss Eddie Alvarez at Madison Square Garden:
“Normally I’d just say I’ll take anyone, anywhere – I don’t care who I fight,” Cerrone said. “Then they always tell us, ‘If you want a fight, let up hear about it.’ So god-damn it, here we go. I’m letting someone hear about it. It was my 32nd walk at Zuffa. It’s time. Let’s start making some calls and making some moves.”
Cerrone scored a dominant decision victory over Alvarez at Alvarez’s UFC debut back at UFC 178, and he remains ranked inside the top 10 at 155-pounds. UFC President Dana White, however, said that he would prefer Cerrone to stay at 170-pounds, so it should be interesting to see how the situation plays out.
![jon-jones-ap[1]](http://cdn.lowkickmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/jon-jones-ap1.jpg)
UFC President Dana White said that McGregor’s next bout will definitely be a title defense of the belt he won this past December, and Pederneiras has full confidence in White’s claim: