UFC Not Banking on Georges St-Pierre at UFC 206
UFC Not Banking on Georges St-Pierre at UFC 206
Will Georges St-Pierre (GSP) return at UFC 206? The UFC's Tom Wright explains.
Will Georges St-Pierre make a return to the Octagon at UFC 206?
According to Tom Wright, the General Manager for UFC Operations in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, it's far from guaranteed. Speaking to Submission Radio, Wright stated that it wouldn't be a disaster if there wasn't a hometown man or woman in the main event at UFC 206 in Toronto, Canada.
"We don't need a Canadian, necessarily, to headline the event," Wright said. "The last event that we had in Canada did not feature around a Canadian, so frankly it's no different than here (in Australia). Our fans are sophisticated fans in Canada, and they're knowledgeable and sophisticated here in Australia. They want to see great fights, they want to see great competition and they'll see it in Toronto."
Wright was referencing UFC 186, which took place in April last year inside Montreal's Bell Centre. That event featured a headlining bout of flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. challenger Kyoji Horiguchi after Renan Barao pulled out of a bantamweight title fight opposite T.J. Dillashaw.
Wright reiterated this could happen again, but he also noted the UFC 205 card in New York would play some part the development of Dec. 9's UFC 206 event.
"We're trying to figure out the main event for UFC 205," Wright said. "Obviously, that's going to be a seminal event in Madison Square Garden in New York. Once that's sort of cleared up, and that will happen in the next week or so, then we'll start to bring more closely into focus what's going to happen in Toronto."
Wright then explained that not all the eggs had been put in the GSP basket. Though he admitted he would like to see the former UFC welterweight champion return, he said the decision was ultimately up to St-Pierre and whether he could work out a deal with UFC.
"Well, personally, I'd love to see Georges come back, but I have been asked this question before, and what I really want is for Georges to do what he wants to do," Wright said. "He made the decision to walk away from this sport back in 2013, and should he decide to come back, I'd be the first person to welcome him back with open arms.
"Should he decide to continue hanging them up, then I'll salute that as well. It's completely up to Georges. We're trying to see if there's a contract that can be pulled together, and his team are talking with our team, and if it's going to work out, it will work out."
According to Tom Wright, the General Manager for UFC Operations in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, it's far from guaranteed. Speaking to Submission Radio, Wright stated that it wouldn't be a disaster if there wasn't a hometown man or woman in the main event at UFC 206 in Toronto, Canada.
"We don't need a Canadian, necessarily, to headline the event," Wright said. "The last event that we had in Canada did not feature around a Canadian, so frankly it's no different than here (in Australia). Our fans are sophisticated fans in Canada, and they're knowledgeable and sophisticated here in Australia. They want to see great fights, they want to see great competition and they'll see it in Toronto."
Wright was referencing UFC 186, which took place in April last year inside Montreal's Bell Centre. That event featured a headlining bout of flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. challenger Kyoji Horiguchi after Renan Barao pulled out of a bantamweight title fight opposite T.J. Dillashaw.
Wright reiterated this could happen again, but he also noted the UFC 205 card in New York would play some part the development of Dec. 9's UFC 206 event.
"We're trying to figure out the main event for UFC 205," Wright said. "Obviously, that's going to be a seminal event in Madison Square Garden in New York. Once that's sort of cleared up, and that will happen in the next week or so, then we'll start to bring more closely into focus what's going to happen in Toronto."
Wright then explained that not all the eggs had been put in the GSP basket. Though he admitted he would like to see the former UFC welterweight champion return, he said the decision was ultimately up to St-Pierre and whether he could work out a deal with UFC.
"Well, personally, I'd love to see Georges come back, but I have been asked this question before, and what I really want is for Georges to do what he wants to do," Wright said. "He made the decision to walk away from this sport back in 2013, and should he decide to come back, I'd be the first person to welcome him back with open arms.
"Should he decide to continue hanging them up, then I'll salute that as well. It's completely up to Georges. We're trying to see if there's a contract that can be pulled together, and his team are talking with our team, and if it's going to work out, it will work out."