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Georges St-Pierre announces he is ready to return to fighting

3K views 35 replies 21 participants last post by  kantowrestler 
#1 ·
Looks like it's happening. I think Bisping should take this. How weird would that be having Bisping defeat two GOATs.

Georges St-Pierre, a man widely considered to be the greatest welterweight to ever compete in mixed martial arts, is ready to give it one more good run. St-Pierre announced Monday on The MMA Hour that he has decided to end his nearly three-year hiatus and return to the Octagon, provided that his management and the UFC are able to come to terms on a deal.

"Exactly. That's what I'm saying," St-Pierre, 35, said when asked point blank if he was announcing his return. "I'm ready. I'm an emotional guy. My agents, even before I came on the show today, they briefed me. They said, ‘don't say this, don't say that.' They briefed me, they said, ‘we're in negotiations, remember, blah, blah, blah.' Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, don't worry, I'm not a kid. But I'm an emotional guy, and when I get emotional sometimes, I say things that are necessarily in the best of my interests, and I'm trying to not go overboard with that.

"But the only thing is, I love my sport and I still feel I'm at my best right now. The clock is running. I'm not getting any younger. I'm in the peak of my career and if there is a shot, there is another goal, another run, I better do it and do it quick, because it is time to do it now."

St-Pierre reigned over the UFC welterweight division from 2007 until 2013 as one of the most popular fighters in the sport. He defended his UFC title nine consecutive times -- a record for the division -- culminating in a hard-fought split decision over Johny Hendricks in Nov. 2013. Afterward, St-Pierre surprised many within the sport by vacating the belt and exiting the UFC on top, although he always hinted that a return could be in the cards for the right fight.

Rumblings of that return have reemerged every few months ever since, however only recently has St-Pierre appeared ready to make a commitment. He said on Monday that he recently underwent a full training camp to gauge whether or not he still felt fit to compete at the highest levels, and luckily for fans, he was extremely encouraged by the results.

"What I did is I did a training camp to see where I'm at," St-Pierre said. "I've been training, but being in shape and being in fighting shape is something different. I did a training to push myself and go back to the highest level of competition. I didn't fight, but I put myself through a training camp and I sparred and everything, and I did it successfully. Now I know for a fact that I could go back and fight, if my management and the UFC get to an agreement."

St-Pierre noted that his management is currently in negotiations with the UFC to hash out the details of his deal. Much has changed in the UFC since St-Pierre left, most prominently the nuking of the sponsorship landscape with the advent of the Reebok partnership.

St-Pierre didn't want to get too far ahead of himself in case talks with the UFC fell apart, but he also sounded like a man convinced on his decision, and he indicated that a middleweight title fight against Michael Bisping could be an option that would interest him for his first fight back.

"I have a lot to lose in this, because I finished on top," St-Pierre said. "I finished as champion, and that's the way everybody would like to leave the sport -- on top, healthy, and wealthy -- and I did it. If I go back and, it needs to be for something big. I think for my first fight, it needs to be for something big, and that'll give me the swing and the momentum to do it again and again and again for another run.

"So it depends on what it going to happen, but I have a lot to lose, but the thing is also, the reason why I've been thinking of coming back, is I don't want to end up at 80 years old and telling myself, ‘I should've done this, I should've done that.' Because all of the things I regret in my life the most, it's not the things that I have done. It's the things that I have not done, the things that I regret the most. So I don't want to end up where I'm too old and say, ‘aw, I should've done it. I was in great shape. My timing was impeccable, and I didn't do it,' so I would die with regret."


http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/6/2...e-announces-he-is-ready-to-return-to-fighting
 
#6 ·
I wouldn't be surprised to see Bisping winning this fight. I reckon that beside his underrated, yet efficient abilities, he is a way bigger fighter, has great cardio, drive, has a good momentum going and GSP would be coming back from a 3 years layoff, fighting at MW for the first time in his life.

I think I would be more impressed to see GSP winning this fight.
 
#10 ·
Sigh all these people still saying Bisping didn't beat Silva. it's a 10 must system and it's the clearest cut 3-2 you'll ever see. 48-47. This isn't Pride where the most damage gets the win.

The Kennedy fight gives me doubts Bisping could handle a smothering wrestler but he'd have size on his side and his striking is as good as it's ever been, he'd have a decent shot at winning.
 
#15 ·
Sigh all these people still saying Bisping didn't beat Silva. it's a 10 must system and it's the clearest cut 3-2 you'll ever see. 48-47. This isn't Pride where the most damage gets the win.
Damage though counts also according to unified MMA rules and Bisping got dropped like a sack of potatoes. I think at that moment the fight should have been called. But as it was not, I can see how Bisping got the decision. It certainly was not a robbery. Silva only has to blame himself, he had his opponent hurt badly, but didn't got for the kill.
 
#13 ·
This fight would suck. It makes zero sense and I'd hate to see GSP lose and people start the old 'he was never that good anyway' BS.

I would make Bisping the favourite for sure. Anyone saying different doesn't comprehend weight classes and what they are for. GSP was never a huge WW like I've seen others say. Fighting the MW champ on your return is silly. He should fight a mid tier WW.
 
#16 ·
Don't like it, so few guys go out on top I would prefer GSP to stay that way.

However, if he does come back, if his first fight is Bisping that is unfair. Always been a big GSP fan but you should not get to step in after years off, change weight classes, and fight for the belt. That would be some serious BS and what is more, GSP knows that. There were quotes from GSP after he quit saying it wouldn't be fair to come in and fight for the belt (the WW belt nevermind MW) after a long layoff, that there should be a tune up fight first.

If he has changed his stance on that I would be very disappointed and it would imply to me he is just seeing dollar signs.

As for his chances against Bisping, as noted GSP was never even that big a WW. Moving up to MW would be tough for him against any decent fighter. Not an unwinnable fight but I'd certainly make him a dog if I was laying odds on it.
 
#18 ·
GSP complained about steroids giving advantages to his opponents. He barely passed through Hendricks in his last fight. Now he'll be fighting someone naturally stronger, taller, heavier than him. Can't understand. :dunno:

Also disagree with giving him an immediate title shot at MW. That's BS, and I like GSP. But seriously, this is full "UFE" now for quite a good time. If we have this in mind, we shall enjoy the match ups they lay for us without being that mentally invested.
 
#27 ·
I agree with the first paragraph, disagree with the second.

A. I do not enjoy watching GSP fights. They are ******* boring as hell.

B. He does, however, deserve the immediate title shot. He's considered one of the "GOAT's" and retired holding the belt.

C. Bisping would be dumb not to take this fight and take the Hendo fight instead.

That's all. ;)
 
#20 ·
Bisping could have easily won the Kennedy fight. Something was really up with him that fight. Kennedy could barely stand in the third round and was laying on the cage and Bisping still couldn't pull the trigger.

Anderson had a night similar to this when he fought Bisping. Anderson completely had that fight effortlessly coming into those last rounds and just handed it to Bisping. I scored the fight for Michael.
 
#26 ·
This is such an interesting fight. How do you count out any of em. My gut says Bisping due to his size and conditioning. He won't get tired and he's fought against Rashad, Chael and other much bigger wrestlers before. I would like to see GSP win though cuz that would create an entirely new buzz for the division. One that would be completely unexpected.

Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre stunned the mixed martial arts world on Monday when he announced on The MMA Hour that he was "ready" to end his near three-year hiatus and return to the Octagon for one last good run. But not only did St-Pierre have comeback plans to share, he also had an opponent in mind for his first fight back -- a title challenge against the man currently tied with him for the most wins (19) in UFC history, middleweight beltholder Michael Bisping.

"There are two things I'm very proud of," St-Pierre said on The MMA Hour. "There's my title -- my welterweight title that I won -- and there's another record that I hold for the most wins in UFC history. And now I have someone who's challenging me for it in Michael Bisping.

"I do not believe, if I fight him, he will send me back to a movie set. Yes, he's bigger than me, but I believe I've got more skill, more athleticism, and a higher fighting IQ than he does. The world doesn't turn around me, but if it's a fight that the fans and the UFC want to make, they've got my number. They can call my agent, no problem. We can organize to make it happen and make an agreement."

St-Pierre's words about a "movie set" harken back to something Bisping said on The MMA Hour last week, when the Brit publicly challenged St-Pierre, said that he would "definitely win" any fight between the two veterans, and promised that he would end St-Pierre's comeback bid by sending the Canadian legend back to Hollywood. St-Pierre has landed several acting roles since his exit from the sport -- most notably as Batroc the Leaper in the Marvel blockbuster Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Now 35 years old, St-Pierre last fought in the UFC in Nov. 2013, when he defended his welterweight title for the ninth consecutive time with a split decision victory over Johny Hendricks. Since then, St-Pierre has refused to say that he is officially retired, instead maintaining that he would return only for the right opportunity -- and it appears that a chance to become a two-division champion and reclaim his record over Bisping as the winningest fighter in UFC history is exactly what the doctor ordered.

"It's something big," St-Pierre said. "You just gave me the chills thinking about it, because it's not the first time that people have mentioned it. I'm sure Michael, on his side, people have talked to him about it, because he created a lot of buzz. I always said, if I come back, I would come back from something very big. Bisping is the man to beat right now. He beat (Anderson) Silva, he knocked out (Luke) Rockhold.

"He's the bigger name now. He's the man to beat right now. I always said if I come back, my first fight would be something big that gives me the chills. And he's a bigger name right now. He is the bigger name, the guy who has the spotlight right now. Like I said, the world doesn't turn around me. There are a lot of guys hunting him, but if it's a fight that the UFC wants and the fans want, if it creates a buzz and the money is there, because we're in a business, I'm down for it."

Of course, this is not the first time St-Pierre has flirted with a move up in weight. For years, the UFC tried to book a superfight between St-Pierre and longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, however the fight never came to pass. St-Pierre said on Monday that he "never really considered" going up a division for a one-off fight while he was the reigning UFC welterweight champion, but now that he is no longer tied down by the belt, he is free to look at his options "more experimentally," mentioning potential future fights against Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz as well.

As for Bisping, St-Pierre acknowledged that he would be at an obvious size disadvantage against the Brit -- St-Pierre is generously listed by the UFC at 5'10" and has always been a smaller welterweight, while Bisping stands at a much thicker 6'2" and has fought as high as light heavyweight -- but that he is confident his skill could help make up for any handicaps. St-Pierre also added that Bisping's long-held stance against performance enhancing drugs helps make him the "No. 1" option for his comeback fight, rather than fighters with failed drug tests in their past like Silva or Chael Sonnen.

"What I like about Bisping that makes him, for me, the best candidate: he's someone who talked a lot about performance enhancing drugs," St-Pierre said. "He's big-time against it. He never got caught using it, and that's one of the reasons why he's the No. 1 guy. He's someone I respect a lot, and for this reason, if I go up a weight class, he would be my first choice before Chael Sonnen or Silva or any other guys, because of that."

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/6/2...s-michael-bisping-title-fight-as-first-choice
 
#29 ·
Sorry but it would not create a buzz for the division. GSP would NOT fight Jacare, Rockhold, or Weidman.

He is interested in this one because he probably sees it as the easiest one and the biggest fight in terms of hype.

GSP was scared to fight Anderson in their primes in the biggest fight of all time when everyone wanted it. When he could hold 2 belts at once. Yet we think he is coming back to the MW division to fight all these guys?

FAT CHANCE. If Rockhold beat down Bisping GSP wouldn't even consider this move. We all know that.
 
#33 ·
St. Pierre wouldn't take that fight unless he is very sure he feels physically really in top shape and that he very probably would win that fight.

To me, St. Pierre's fights are not boring. He is constantly working on his opponent, he just doesn't fully commit to KO strikes.
... or submissions. What makes him a points driven fighter and thus a boring one. I respect his strategy and I think it is a problem to his opponents to solve, but that makes him one of the most unexciting fighters in the business, no doubt.
 
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