Rory MacDonald confident he can defeat any Welterweight, but will not fight Georges St. Pierre

Rising UFC Welterweight contender Rory MacDonald recently destroyed a very game opponent in Che Mills at UFC 145, and now it appears that the sky is the limit for the 22-year-old prospect. Training out of the TriStar Gym in Montreal under the tutelage of Georges St. Pierre, MacDonald has quickly shunned all talk of fighting GSP. However, it may be soon that MacDonald will find himself in the contradictory position of fighting for the Welterweight title, albeit against his mentor should the situation arise. MacDonald had the following to say about his evolution as a fighter in an interview on sportsnet.ca:

“I’ve evolved so much, added so many tools to my game, I feel like I’ve put so many things in my game that I can be aggressive but technical at the same time. It takes experience to learn how to stay calm, I’ve lost control in one of my fights before but basically I try to keep composed and try not to make mistakes and keep my technique. A lot of people think it’s better to go into berserker mode, but it’s not actually. I’m a pretty exciting fighter without going into berserker mode.”

Possessing an experience seemingly beyond that of his age, MacDonald exudes the confidence necessary for a champion but knows he can’t let his success get to his head. While known for viciously throwing opponents around and finishing them, MacDonald seeks to control his emotions amidst the roller-coaster that is a fighter’s career. He expressed his confidence , and his desire to shy away from a fight with GSP, with the following:

“I think I could beat anybody in the division right now, I know my skill level. I’m not taking a fight against Georges. We’re training partners and help each other get better … I stick to my principles. I believe in friendship. I have to think more tomorrow and 10 years from now.”

With a calm and cool head on his shoulders, MacDonald has nowhere to go but up. In the stacked Welterweight division, it will be interesting to see who his next test is. Will Rory MacDonald be Welterweight champion, and if so, how soon?

Further Reading: Rory MacDonald ready for UFC 145; credits GSP and Tri-Star gym