Recently, photos of former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre looking much smaller surfaced online.
The expectation was that St-Pierre was gradually cutting down to lightweight to face the winner of UFC 229’s Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor megafight. St-Pierre has been out of action since he broke a four-year semi-retirement to return and fight former middleweight champ Michael Bisping at last November’s UFC 217.
‘Rush’ won the title but vacated it shortly thereafter after suffering digestive issues due to the increased caloric intake required to fight at 185. He’s been rumored to be aiming for either Khabib or McGregor, but St-Pierre said via SportsNet that’s not the case:
”I didn’t say I was going to do it. People headlined me the wrong way, to sell articles. That’s the society we live in.”
The MMA legend claims he’s not looking to commit to any specific fight right now:
”I don’t want to sign a contract for a fight right now. I don’t want to say I’m going to commit to something.”
If and when he does come back for another fight, he’s only interested in the biggest possible match-ups. And it’s not only for the money involved but for the perceived boost to his legacy. That’s why it has to be so big according to the MMA great because he says he’s putting so much more on the line:
”I want to come back for a good fight. I want to come back for a fight that I can win, that I can gain something in terms of legacy. Not only money, but in terms of legacy. Because I have a lot more to lose than to win.”
There doesn’t seem to be anything bigger than a possible third title-winning bout with Khabib or McGregor, even though a welterweight title bout with champion Tyron Woodley is now being discussed after Woodley’s submission over Darren Till at UFC 228 last night.
Is St-Pierre diverting his true intentions?
This article first appeared at LowKickMMA.com
