Dana White says Georges St-Pierre “did not want to fight Anderson Silva ever”
For years, MMA fans wanted to see Georges St-Pierre move up to middleweight to battle Anderson Silva. It would’ve been a battle of two of the greatest fighters of all-time at the peaks of their careers. But, it never came to fruition and the two would never share the Octagon together.
Now, years later, UFC president Dana White says he tried to make that fight, but it was St-Pierre who was not interested in it. He says the welterweight champion says the fight was offered but the Canadian just didn’t want to fight Silva.
Dana White on IG just now asked if Georges St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva ever actually came close to happening in the UFC:
"Never. GSP did not want to fight Anderson Silva, ever."
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 6, 2020
“Never,” White said when asked about a fight between GSP and Silva (h/t Damon Martin). “GSP did not want to fight Anderson Silva, ever.”
The two continued to rule their respective divisions until Silva was shockingly knocked out to Chris Weidman to lose his belt at UFC 162. He would never regain the title and has gone just 1-6 and one no-contest in his last eight fights. The Brazilian recently revealed he was going to retire before the first Weidman but got talked into fighting, and has kept on competing since then.
Silva hasn’t fought since UFC 237 where he lost by TKO to Jared Cannonier. He hurt his knee in that fight and recently underwent knee surgery. Before the loss to Cannonier, the Brazilian dropped a decision to Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 234.
Georges St-Pierre, meanwhile, stepped away from the sport after he beat Johny Hendricks by split decision back at UFC 167. He returned years later at UFC 217, where he moved up to middleweight and beat Michael Bisping to win the title. It showed he was willing to move up to 185-pounds, but unfortunately, it was not at a time when Silva was the champion.
Who knows who would’ve won that fight, but it would have been phenomenal to see. Regardless, White says he tried to make it but it was the Canadian who turned it down.
