Coach Doesn’t Think GSP vs. McGregor Will Happen
After a near four-year layoff, Georges St. Pierre returned to action this past November, submitting Michael Bisping to become the middleweight champion. Then, however, he vacated the title due to health issues.
Now, St. Pierre says that it’s possible he could fight again, although it would have to be a big fight that draws him back to the cage.
If that’s the case, few opponents would provide “Rush” with a more lucrative payday than Conor McGregor.
And Firas Zahabi, St. Pierre’s longtime head coach, agrees, although he doesn’t believe it’s a fight that will come to fruition:
“[They’re] two huge names,” Zahabi said in a recent interview with FightHub TV. “I would love the fight to happen. I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I think the size difference and Conor’s gotta defend the belt sooner or later. They can’t fight for a middleweight title, that would be considered crazy.”
“I think it would just be a megafight that the fans want to see,” he said. “It would just be a super-megafight that everybody in the world would want to see. I think it would be a bigger fight than Mayweather-McGregor. I think it would be the biggest fight in history and everybody would for sure want to see it. I don’t make the fights, but if I did, that would be one I’d make.”
McGregor hasn’t competed in the Octagon since November 2016 when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez to become the lightweight champion. He then took on Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match last August, but he’s since confirmed that he will be returning to fighting at some point in the future.
And while Zahabi feels as if McGregor is a skilled fighter, he also believes that St. Pierre would be too smart for the Irishman:
“Listen, Georges is fully aware of the karate stuff and Taekwondo ranges and the distances McGregor uses,” Zahabi explained. “He grew up in that. McGregor’s very good at keeping that distance and when you cross the distance, he punches you. Georges understands that game so well plus Georges is much more schooled in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, so I’ve got to put it all on Georges side.
“McGregor has that deadly, accurate left, I’ll give him that. He has a better cross than Georges, definitely, but Georges is too smart, too intelligent, too calculated. It’s highly unlikely he will get hit with it. Not impossible, just highly unlikely.”
What do you make of Zahabi’s comments?
