GSP theorizes on why UFC refuses to make superfight between him and Khabib

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Hong Kong Phooey

Spreading The Coronavirus one Corona at a Time
Feb 12, 2015
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Earlier this year, Georges St-Pierre officially retired. Since then, fans and media have constantly speculated on whether this retirement was real or whether St-Pierre would eventually feel the urge to compete once again and return. After all, St-Pierre walked away from the sport in 2013 only to come out of his pseudo-retirement four years later and claim the middleweight title. But St-Pierre has been adamant that this retirement is for real, even stating last month that “competition is a chapter of my life that is over” when talking about potentially coming back to face lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Well, that might not be entirely true.

Speaking recently with Robin Black on DAZN, St-Pierre once again doubled down on his retirement but did say that a return was not impossible, though he felt it wouldn’t happen since the UFC has made it clear on the Khabib fight.

“I am retired,” St-Pierre said. “I retired because I didn’t want to go back and do the same thing over and over again. Taking a fight takes a lot out of me because I’m very proud so when I perform I have to do it the best I can and the result matters very much for me. So it takes a lot of stress on me. I didn’t want to take another training camp of two-three months - maybe six months with the whole building up with the promotion and everything - out of my life to fight another guy that I don’t have nothing to gain in terms of legacy. If I fight someone and I take six months of my life to focus on it . . . I would need that to be worth it to me. Not only money-wise but legacy wise and satisfaction wise. That’s why I wanted to fight Khabib because I could have lost big but at least I could have win big.

“If I ever come back, it’s not impossible but right now I don’t see nothing. The UFC refuse a fight with Khabib and I and there’s nothing that really excites me.”

St-Pierre and Nurmagomedov have been angling to fight each other for awhile now but the UFC has had no interest in booking the superfight. When they finally made it clear to St-Pierre that it was not going to happen, St-Pierre officially retired from the sport. That hasn’t stopped fans and both fighters from speculating about the fight though, which begs the question: why is the UFC so adamant that fight not get made if everyone, including the fighters, wants it to happen? Well, St-Pierre has a theory.
 

Hong Kong Phooey

Spreading The Coronavirus one Corona at a Time
Feb 12, 2015
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“It makes sense in a way,” GSP said. “My agent explained it to me like, maybe he represents a significant investment for UFC. He reaches a different type of clientele, from the Middle East, the Muslim world idolizing him. He’s an icon. Imagine that they invest a lot of money to promote a big fight between Khabib and I and I win the fight. [Wipes hands and smiles]. I’m out. I’m not interested in signing a fight with Khabib and guarantee them that I want to go back and fight another contender.”

It makes sense as St-Pierre has already burned the UFC once before. When he came back to challenge Michael Bisping for the middleweight title in 2017, many speculated that this would be a one-off fight for GSP. In fact, there was so much discussion about it, that both St-Pierre and the UFC made a fuss about how this would not be a one-time thing and he had signed a contract to defend the title should he win it. Then, just 34 days after he won the belt, St-Pierre vacated it, citing ongoing medical concerns. He has not competed since so it makes sense for the UFC to be less inclined to make this superfight. And while St-Pierre wishes that weren’t the case, he also admits that at the end of the day, it might be best for his superfight with Khabib to be relegated to the MMA What-If category.

“It sucks but who knows, maybe it’s a good thing?” St-Pierre mused. “The fighter is always the last person to think it’s time to retire. Maybe I would have gone back and got my ass kicked by Khabib. [Laughs]. I don’t think so. I’m confident, I believe I’m still the best in the world if I prepare but the reality is that I’m getting older - I’m getting smarter, I’m at that time that I don’t feel that physically I slow down but like I said, the fighter is the last person to know.”

Morning Report: Georges St-Pierre theorizes on why UFC refuses to make superfight between him and Khabib Nurmagomedov
 

Robbie Hart

All Biden Voters Are Mindless Sheep
Feb 13, 2015
49,704
50,709
“If I ever come back, it’s not impossible but right now I don’t see nothing. The UFC refuse a fight with Khabib and I and there’s nothing that really excites me.”
So, by saying he don’t see nothing means he see’s something
 

BeardOfKnowledge

The Most Consistent Motherfucker You Know
Jul 22, 2015
60,547
56,268
He’s too big for khabib, but would love too see it
For sure, then he'd be the undisputed 3 division champ and the UFC would be stuck with a third paper title.

It's honestly hilarious there are still people trying to convince the world that he isn't the GOAT.
 

Dick Niaz

Yearning for TMMAC days gone by
Jan 14, 2018
12,279
25,547
Give the GOAT, the fans, and Khabib what everyone wants. Matchmaking is so inconsistent and interim titles are so common that it wouldn't be a big deal for Georges to win the title and vacate. Imagine a tourney between Khabib, Dustin, Tony, Conor, Gaethje, and Cerrone for an open strap? Also, who cares if he were to vacate? If Khabib couldn't beat GSP then he is not the best LW in the world so it shouldn't matter that the championship stays unclaimed for a time.
 

Shorinji

Intergalactic Destroyer of Souls
Oct 25, 2015
131
316
GSP vs Khabib would be by far the biggest fight in history. It NEEDS to happen.

Give the GOAT his chance at a third title!!
 

BenAskrensStrikingcoach

Formerly formulating formally
Jan 30, 2015
4,753
5,118
Arguably the best to ever do it, best WW of all time in my opinion.

Nothing left to prove and at 38 it'd want to be the biggest fight possible for him to risk it all.

I don't blame him not wanting to come back for just any fight, would have been nice to see him stick around a bit longer last time though. He could have gone for the WW belt.