Georges St-Pierre left the UFC in Nov. 2013 at the top of the sport.
Yes, his final fight – a split decision over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 – controversially went St-Pierre’s way. Still, it marked his 12th consecutive overall victory and ninth straight welterweight title defense. He had wiped out his division and already was in the conversation for greatest of all time.
So why come back to challenge Michael Bisping for the middleweight title at UFC 217? St-Pierre says even after all he’s accomplished, he simply isn’t satisfied and still has a lot to show.
“Satisfaction is the deathtrap,” St-Pierre said in a Thursday interview with Sports Illustrated. “When you’re satisfied, you better retire. I’m not satisfied. I think I can do more, and I will prove it to everybody November 4th. I’m very happy. The sport has evolved, but I believe you haven’t seen the best out of me yet.”
That’s hard to believe now that St-Pierre is 36. And yet, he says it like he means it.
When St-Pierre (25-2 MMA, 19-2 UFC) faces Bisping (30-7 MMA, 20-7 UFC) in the pay-per-view headliner at Madison Square Garden, it’ll be his first time competing outside the comfort of welterweight. That certainly figures to present a challenge in itself.
St-Pierre cautions Bisping not to expect the same ol’ “GSP.” Aggression, it seems, will be the name of his game.
“It’s much different. I got a lot more tools in my arsenal. I’ve been working on different things,” St-Pierre said. “If he’s expecting me the same as I was, it’s a big mistake on his part. I’m going to come out, and I want to shock the world. …
“I’m the challenger. I’m not the champion this time. So I have to take the fight to him. I have to expect that if I’m going to a decision, and the fight is close, it’s not going to go my way. So I’m going to go there, and I’m going to put everything I have to finish him, fight like there’s no tomorrow.”
That sounds unlike St-Pierre, who said not to mistake his words for desperation.
“We’re not desperate. I’m happy,” St. Pierre said. “I feel very blessed and fortunate to be in this position, and it’s a moment that a few people in the world are able to live. And I’m going to live that unique moment, and I will remember it for the rest of my life.
“But at the same time I need to put myself in the mindset that this unique moment, in order to make it in my favor as best as I can, I need to put in everything I got. Live like there is no tomorrow.”
For more on UFC 217, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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