Georges St. Pierre ‘Thinking’ About UFC Return: I’m Training Hard
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has been patiently awaiting the return of longtime former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre ever since he vacated the belt in the aftermath of his incredibly controversial split decision win over Johny Hendricks at 2013’s UFC 167.
It’s widely thought that “GSP” could step right into an immediate title shot, and deservedly so, as he owns the record for most consecutive title defenses in 170-pound history with nine.
But UFC President Dana White recently stated that he’s begun to temper his expectations in that record, noting that St. Pierre “hasn’t been hungry” for quite some time now. While that may sound like White is closing the door on a St. Pierre return to the Octagon, the all-time great recently spoke up to say it isn’t one hundred percent true.
In a recent interview with The Winnipeg Sun, however, he clarified that while he could not guarantee a return, he’s still training hard and won’t rule it out, either:
“He says he’s sure I won’t come back, that’s his opinion. I train, I keep myself in shape. I have marks on my body because my body bruises easily and I’m training hard.”
“It doesn’t mean I’m coming back, but it doesn’t mean I’m not coming back,” he added. “I’m thinking about it.”
St. Pierre knows that White is focused on making big fights with big fighters, and he believes the executive had a point when he said that competitors must be especially hungry to compete at the top levels of MMA:
“Dana always does what’s good for the business side,” he said. “I was never angry at him. On the contrary, he had a good reason to say that to come back, you have to be hungry.”
“Rush” had arguably lost most of that hunger leading up to his fateful bout with Hendricks, and he repeatedly said he needed to take some time off for his mental health after being obsessed with fighting on a full-time basis. Although it took a lot out of him, St. Pierre won’t hang his hat on his accomplishments.
He retired as champion, something that very few fighters ever get to do, and he believes he could be right back at the top if he did choose to return at some point:
“Right now, I am where I am, and if it had to end, I ended at the top. I ever want to go back, I’d snap my fingers and it wouldn’t be too hard to get back in fighting form.”
Photo: Eric Bolte for USA TODAY Sports
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