Dana White: Georges St-Pierre will face UFC welterweight champion upon return

[La Paix]

Now that Georges St-Pierre is out of a proposed Middleweight bout against division champion Michael Bisping, the 185-pound weight class is no longer clouded.


So what’s next for the former UFC Welterweight champion of the world? It’s back to his old stomping grounds, as company president Dana White has confirmed that “Rush” will now fight for the 170-pound strap when he’s good and ready.

"[St-Pierre] says he will fight whoever the 170-pound champion is when he comes back," White said during a recent interview with TSN.

What that means for Demian Maia, who has already been promised the next fight against division champion, Tyron Woodley, remains to be seen. But since Georges isn’t expected back around October or November, Demian is sitting pretty at the top spot.


For now.

White: St-Pierre Will Now Fight For Welterweight Title

 

[nuraknu]

whoever the 170-pound champion is

I like this, because it indicates Maia can still get his shot. But look for Woodley to delay like crazy.

 

[Pitbull9]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally, fix that shit. GSP vs Maia will be very fun and Romero destroying Bisping will be sad but fun.

 

[kneeblock]

This is weird, but I can see Maia beating Woodley and GSP beating Maia, but I can't see GSP beating Woodley. Styles and fights.

 

[Robbie Hart]

I like this, because it indicates Maia can still get his shot. But look for Woodley to delay like crazy.

For sure he will try to delay.....

 

[teamquestnorth]

Holy shit GSP vs Woodley could be potentially the most boring fight in MMA history.

Would make Shamrock\Severn 2 look like Griffin\Bonnar.

 

[Jdog93]

Doesn't excite me but it's better that bumming me out about the middle weight division being held up. So that's cool I guess.

Side note: What's with the GSP Glamor Shot OP?

 

[member 603]

This is weird, but I can see Maia beating Woodley and GSP beating Maia, but I can't see GSP beating Woodley. Styles and fights.

I see Maia beating Woodley, but I see it opposite, GSP beats Woodley and loses to the better BJJ practitioner in Maia

 

[La Paix]

Doesn't excite me but it's better that bumming me out about the middle weight division being held up. So that's cool I guess.

Side note: What's with the GSP Glamor Shot OP?

That photo inspired me to double up on my abs this morning. Don't hate, motivate.

 

[Sheepdog]

So there are a few dynamics to this, the first of which is to never believe a single thing that the egg says. Bisping-GSP is still probably on.

However, Bisping (how he would know, I don't know) claimed ages ago (before Maia-Masvidal) that Georges' master plan was to beat him, then fight Maia for the 170 title because Georges favored him over Woodley, then fight McGregor. This gives some credibility to the notion that GSP wants to fight Maia (and makes sense both match up and health wise - you'd rather get choked out by Maia than KOd cold by T-Wood).

The massive problem is that there is no fucking chance Woodley agrees to fight Maia when he knows he can just wait for GSP. So now we just have two divisions going nowhere because of a guy who hasn't fought in 4 years instead of 1, because until GSP signs to fight one of them, Bisping and Woodley aren't signing to fight anyone else.

 

[ECC170]

I see Maia beating Woodley, but I see it opposite, GSP beats Woodley and loses to the better BJJ practitioner in Maia

Gsp will just keep it standing and piece him up

 

[Sheepdog]

I see Maia beating Woodley, but I see it opposite, GSP beats Woodley and loses to the better BJJ practitioner in Maia

I just can't visualize Maia getting GSP down, the guy is a freak MMA wrestler. GSP Koshcheck's him with jabs for 5 rounds in a display to rival the Anderson-Maia awfulness would be my prediction.

 

[member 603]

I hear you guys, and a piece of me wants to agree.... Maia for me is starting to fall into that "Let's stop doubting this guy" category, most people have picked him to get decimated by most people he's fought. He's also use to facing bigger guys being a former MW, and most importantly he's a active fighter who has shown vast improvement these last few years.

Towards the end of GSP's reign, he was looking very pedestrian against his opponents (I still feel Hendricks beat him). You add in 4 years of relative inactivity and age probably slowing down his athleticism, I can see how Maia can get him down.

Demian isn't a power wrestler, but his timing has gotten world's better these last few years.... GSP's timing may not be as sharp... We've all seen with Maia, all it takes is one takedown.

That's my take

 

[member 3289]

GSP is clearly afraid of Bisping

 

[sparkuri]

Bellator's division hold's more legitimacy.
Hard to care at this point.

 

[kneeblock]

I see Maia beating Woodley, but I see it opposite, GSP beats Woodley and loses to the better BJJ practitioner in Maia

Georges anti-jiu jitsu is too strong. I don't think Maia could close the distance. It would resemble the Rory fight imo.

 

[kaladin stormblessed]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally, fix that shit. GSP vs Maia will be very fun and Romero destroying Bisping will be sad but fun.

i liked the bisping matchup alot. there arent many matchups i like at welterweight for gsp... maia is gone of them tho. good call. masvidal wold be cool too

 

[Atto]

This is much better. GSP can be a champ at welterweight instead of being a champ at middle weight , and not defending the belt.

 

[La Paix]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUada3jB9SU/

 

[benjo0101]

Lol. Let's go round again. One more time...

This isn't over yet. Mark my words.

Woodley will be a nightmare about fighting Maia trying to ignore him till after gsp. We will have bitching threads about that soon.

 

[Sheepdog]

Georges anti-jiu jitsu is too strong. I don't think Maia could close the distance. It would resemble the Rory fight imo.

To be fair Maia beat the piss out of Rory in the first round and had GSP been taking the same punches while giving up those positions, he could have been in a lot of trouble.

We've always seen GSP on top, or getting beat up by Hendricks from the bottom the only time we haven't, and, although very early in career, we've seen him submitted by Hughes.

There's no way of knowing at this point if he could handle Maia on top for significant periods of time.

 

[1031]

I see Maia beating Woodley, but I see it opposite, GSP beats Woodley and loses to the better BJJ practitioner in Maia

I see GSP beating Woodley but losing to Maia.
Woodley and Maia? That all depends but my head says Woodley

 

[RedDragonUK]

GSP beats Woodley and Maia. He wrestlefucks Woodley and he keeps the fight standing against Maia and batters him.

Bisping is done I think. His knee sounds like it needs operating on.