And the fact that also maybe he wanted to make extra money, try a home run, because he knew Khabib and I were retired. St-Pierre expressed disappointment about the way the entire situation played out. Though he missed out on this opportunity, St-Pierre is still optimistic that something could change in the future. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.
He stumbled upon a rebroadcast of his fight with Michael Bisping. That was the night GSP, the longtime UFC welterweight champion considered by many to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, came out of a four-year retirement and claimed the middleweight belt.
As he watched, St-Pierre could feel the thrill come back. For GSP, it was a rarity to feel good while around fighting. That sounds shocking coming from a man who was in his career. GSP made nine successful defenses of his pound belt and set a UFC record for title fight appearances. He is on the short list of candidates for the GOAT discussion. Yet he says he was scared every step of the way.
St-Pierre said he isn't sure if he's a rarity in that regard or if other fighters are lying when they show no fear. GSP couldn't believe the lack of nerves his Tristar Gym teammate experienced backstage. He was like, 'Man, I'm so excited to be here. If GSP finds himself on the doorstep of another fight he does not want, whether it be against Khabib or another UFC champion, at least he knows his jitters will subdue when the cage door shuts.
Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. More From MMAmania. Though GSP will deservedly be considered one of the great champions of all-time, we must realize that MMA is a sport expanding by the minute.
GSP will soon fall the way of other great champions like Fedor, Chuck and Hughes because the sport will pass him as he will be unable to keep up. The UFC is not like baseball or basketball where the skills needed to succeed don't change as quickly, rather it is more like the ever changing college football landscape only quicker. The length of his success, though a factor, is not the most important factor in how he currently ranks as a fighter.
Rather, that would be his skills and recent success, with both showing signs of having holes in them. However, when the welterweight division passes him by, it will explain the third reason he is overrated.
Sports have always involved the act of "passing the torch" and the overrating of the "next guy. That is even more true in combat sports, where whoever beats the long-time champ is immediately anointed then next all-time great. With early fans of the UFC seeing dominant champion Matt Hughes, who was one fight away from fighting Anderson Silva, fall to an up-and-comer, people immediately passed Hughes' torch of greatness to GSP.
The problem is, St. Pierre isn't just building his own legacy, he is building his legacy on top of all the credits Hughes earned, making him grow even taller than any other fighter in the world. Since his reign of terror began, Anderson Silva has been associated with Georges St. Pierre because they are great champions who could possibly fight one day.
Most rivalries have a better side that elevates the status of the slightly weaker opponent, with Silva bringing up GSP in this case. Silva's record is not flawless, no fighter's is, but he has the fewest holes in his resume of any current champion.
Of the top ten middleweights in the world, the only men hasn't fought are Mark Munoz, Brian Stann and Michael Bisping, with only Bisping having been close to earning a title shot.
More importantly, "The Spider" has finished every fighter he has faced during his run as champion except Demian Maia and Thales Leites, though neither posed any true threat. With Silva's status as one of the top two pound-for-pound best fighters in the world to go along with people trying to figure out who could beat him, GSP and his stout wrestling game is a perfect matching opponent.
The organization needs for St. Pierre to be a huge, successful champion because he is not only one of their biggest PPV draws, but also because he is known worldwide.
Why does he get all this run?
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