GSP Talks Return and Relationship with UFC
GSP Talks Return and Relationship with UFC
Georges St-Pierre hasn’t officially announced his comeback, but he’s certainly not doing anything to quiet the buzz surrounding his potential return to the
Georges St-Pierre hasn’t officially announced his comeback, but he’s certainly not doing anything to quiet the buzz surrounding his potential return to the UFC.
It’s been more than two years since the man widely regarded as the greatest welterweight to ever compete inside the Octagon walked away from the sport he helped build. That said, despite the French-Canadian’s physical absence from competition, his aura has lingered heavily over the division he once dominated.
St-Pierre’s potential comeback has been rumored again and again, but the former pound-for-pound great hasn't given much credence to the issue. However, the tides may be turning — the 34-year-old Tristar product has been increasingly more vocal and visible in the weeks following his appearance at UFC 194 back in March.
On Monday afternoon, St-Pierre was a guest on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, where he addressed the rumors surrounding his return.
"Things can change so fast in the UFC. It's so unpredictable. I don't know if I'll be back for sure," St-Pierre said. "I haven't done my training camp yet. I haven't discussed all the possibilities with the UFC. Maybe the negotiations won't go well. A lot of things can happen.
"I need to be testing [my body]. I don't want to do it and in the middle of my real training camp, be like, 'Oh, I don't feel comfortable doing this.' And then I mess up everything and I come back and make a fool of myself. I want to make sure if I go back, I'm at my best. There's no stone unturned, if you know what I mean."
One of the more public issues surrounding St-Pierre’s departure following his victory over Johny Hendricks in late 2013 was what he saw to be lax drug testing practices from the UFC. St-Pierre blasted the promotional banner he worked under for the better part of the decade, and said he would not return until the organization implemented a better system for drug testing.
Although the promotion has taken big steps toward cleaning up the sport in recent years, St-Pierre isn’t yet fully convinced the job at hand is done. While he certainly acknowledges the progress, there is more St-Pierre needs to see before he’s ready to step back into the cage.
"I feel more comfortable now working with the UFC. I'm not on bad terms with anyone. I understand it's a business," St-Pierre said. "[UFC president] Dana [White] has said stuff, because he's said things that satisfy his interests and it's normal. I say things that satisfy my own interests. Everybody tries to do the best for themselves. It's nothing personal. I don't take it personally."
It’s been more than two years since the man widely regarded as the greatest welterweight to ever compete inside the Octagon walked away from the sport he helped build. That said, despite the French-Canadian’s physical absence from competition, his aura has lingered heavily over the division he once dominated.
St-Pierre’s potential comeback has been rumored again and again, but the former pound-for-pound great hasn't given much credence to the issue. However, the tides may be turning — the 34-year-old Tristar product has been increasingly more vocal and visible in the weeks following his appearance at UFC 194 back in March.
On Monday afternoon, St-Pierre was a guest on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, where he addressed the rumors surrounding his return.
"Things can change so fast in the UFC. It's so unpredictable. I don't know if I'll be back for sure," St-Pierre said. "I haven't done my training camp yet. I haven't discussed all the possibilities with the UFC. Maybe the negotiations won't go well. A lot of things can happen.
"I need to be testing [my body]. I don't want to do it and in the middle of my real training camp, be like, 'Oh, I don't feel comfortable doing this.' And then I mess up everything and I come back and make a fool of myself. I want to make sure if I go back, I'm at my best. There's no stone unturned, if you know what I mean."
One of the more public issues surrounding St-Pierre’s departure following his victory over Johny Hendricks in late 2013 was what he saw to be lax drug testing practices from the UFC. St-Pierre blasted the promotional banner he worked under for the better part of the decade, and said he would not return until the organization implemented a better system for drug testing.
Although the promotion has taken big steps toward cleaning up the sport in recent years, St-Pierre isn’t yet fully convinced the job at hand is done. While he certainly acknowledges the progress, there is more St-Pierre needs to see before he’s ready to step back into the cage.
"I feel more comfortable now working with the UFC. I'm not on bad terms with anyone. I understand it's a business," St-Pierre said. "[UFC president] Dana [White] has said stuff, because he's said things that satisfy his interests and it's normal. I say things that satisfy my own interests. Everybody tries to do the best for themselves. It's nothing personal. I don't take it personally."