Georges St-Pierre probably wouldn’t have left the sport if the UFC had handled his championship fight against Johny Hendricks differently, he has revealed.
Talking on Chael Sonnen’s podcast ‘You’re welcome’ Wednesday, GSP opened up about several topics, including Ronda Rousey, Nick Diaz and his sabbatical from the sport.
On Ronda Rousey, and her recent loss to Holly Holm
Before the Women’s Bantamweight title changed hands, St-Pierre’s defeat at the hands of Matt Serra at UFC 69 was regarded as the biggest upset in the sports history, and so many have considered GSP to have a unique perspective on the recent bout between Rousey and Holm.
The former Welterweight champion doesn’t quite compare his experience with Rousey’s, but certainly feels for her.
“I don’t know what she’s going through,” St-Pierre said, “because I didn’t have [the attention] at the bigger stage like her, you know I was champion but nobody really knew me as much as her. But I can imagine how crazy… it might be a complete nightmare for her right now.”
“Sometimes it’s just not your day, and sometimes it’s just the other person is just right on point” said St-Pierre. “It’s like in hockey, in baseball, in football, it’s not always the best team that wins the game, it’s the team that plays the best the night of the game.”
“I think maybe she just needs to change her strategy, the way she gets into a fight.”
On old rival Nick Diaz:
There isn’t much love lost between Diaz and St-Pierre. The two fought at UFC 158 in March, 2013. However, since time has gone on, the ill feelings have calmed and GSP came out with his support for Diaz after his recent suspension of five years for marijuana.
“I believe [the punishment] was too much, for smoking marijuana, I believe it was too much,” St-Pierre said. “I say it publicly because I want to help the guy. we fought with each other, saying bad things to each other, but I respect him you know.”
“It’s not right, it’s unfair you know.”
On Carlos Condit vs. Robbie Lawler:
“It’s gonna be a good fight, but if I have to make a prediction I believe Carlos Condit is going to win,” said St-Pierre, who fought Condit at UFC 154. “I think he has more weapons in his arsenal than Robbie Lawler. Lawler has a big punch, but I believe Condit has more options to win this.”
“[In] a five round fight, not a three round, but in a five round fight, I believe Condit is probably the best guy in the division right now. In a five round fight. He’s a nightmare in a five round fight. He’s crazy.”
“Condit is the guy that hurt me the most in [a] fight,” GSP said. “I was really hurt. It was a nightmare, he’s just a nightmare to fight. He’s very unorthodox, you don’t know what’s coming and he’s good everywhere.”
“It’s very hard to get ready to fight a guy like him.”
On Johny Hendricks, the UFC and a potential return:
St-Pierre was last seen in the Octagon in November of 2013 in his 11th straight title fight against Hendricks at UFC 167, in which he retained his Welterweight championship in a controversial split decision. However, it wasn’t only the fight that gained controversy that night, as Georges announced his taking time away from the sport in the cage, to UFC President Dana White’s dismay. Soon, rumours of GSP being told not to attend the post-fight press conference emerged, even going as far as to say his belt had been taken while he showered.
“So then after I’m done with the doctor, I wanna go to the press conference,” explained St-Pierre. “And the girl of the UFC says “No, no Georges, it’s okay, you’re not going to the press conference.”
“And I said “why?” She said “No, no, you’re not allowed to go, it’s okay.” Then I [figured] something weird is going on, so I said “I’m going,” she said “No, no, you’re not allowed to go” and I said “Yeah well, try to stop me.”
Then I walk in and I saw that everyone looks weird when I arrived there,” St-Pierre continued. “Then I found out that Dana was saying that I was gone to hospital and I was badly hurt.”
“I just thought it was weird that you’re not allowed to go to the press conference. Like why would I not be allowed to go to press conference”
As for the fight itself?
“When I watch that fight, I give myself [rounds] 1,3 and 5.”
It was then that St-Pierre dropped a bombshell.
“I’m going to tell you the truth…” St-Pierre said, “if this controversy, if this whole thing had never happened after the fight… If [the UFC] did give the VADA testing that I did, and if they [didn’t] act like that then maybe I would’ve already been back.”
“Maybe I’d have given the rematch to Johny Hendrix but because of those, I was burned out, angry, frustrated… a lot of things and I need to let go because I didn’t have fun fighting. I lost the fun and that was one of the reasons why I stopped.”
As for if he’ll be stepping back into the cage, the Welterweight G.O.A.T. was uncommitted. Describing himself as better than ever, due to a lack of stress, he felt as if physically he would be able to make a return. Yet, as ever, GSP stopped short of saying whether he would indeed do so or not, leaving us knowing more, but still not enough.
To listen to the interview, as well as others, subscribe to Chael Sonnen’s podcast ‘You’re Welcome’, which can be found here.
