GSP: My knee injury allowed me to correct my training

UFC Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is fast approaching his long-anticipated return to the Octagon on November 17th. One of the main questions surrounding the dominant champion’s return to glory is the issue of his surgically repaired knee. While many think facing Carlos Condit as a welcome-back fight will be quite the tall task, St-Pierre himself has begun to view the devastating injury as a positive aspect and something that will ultimately turn him into a better fighter. In a recent interview with The Calgary Herald, GSP detailed his newfound view on the injury and how it has changed his mindset for the better:

“This injury was a negative thing in the beginning but it became a positive thing at the end, because it allowed me to correct my training and make it better and improve it. I had the mentality that more is better, but I realize that’s wrong. Smarter is always better. I have more fun doing it. I’m more fired up to go train now.”

St-Pierre has appeared to have reevaluated his game, and he knows that Condit is a very dangerous opponent. While most are looking past the main event of UFC 154 in Montreal to a potential blockbuster superfight with Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, GSP remains grounded and focused on the task at hand. After all, he knows what got him to the top initially. St-Pierre plans to stick to his top-shelf MMA wrestling, albeit this time with a new lease on fighting. He knows that Condit may have more momentum on his side right now after defeating Nick Diaz for the Interim title last February, but that will not sway his attitude in any way:

“For me the belt doesn’t matter. I want to be the best. It’s not really the belt that matters, it’s the meaning of it. I do feel I’ll be able to take him down. I want to dictate the pace and make my fight, do what I want to do.”

To take the advent of a serious and career threatening injury in stride and use it to become a better fighter than before is a mark of a true champion. GSP remains humble in the face of adversity and speculation. Now all that is left is to prove that he is still king of a Welterweight division clamoring with top-ranked fighters all looking to take the belt away from him. No short order for sure, but GSP is ready for the assignment.