Georges St-Pierre raises his hands to the crowd before stepping into the octagon.
George St-Pierre weighs options for facing Khabib Nurmagomedov in potential UFC return
Georges St-Pierre is on the fence.
The former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion is considering a return to the octagon. Staying retired is also an option for the UFC Hall of Famer.
While speaking with Aaron Bronsteter of TSN on Wednesday, Oct. 7, ST-Pierre spoke about all the factors he is weighing when considering his return to the octagon.
“Why step back in? But why not step back in?” St-Pierre said to Bronsteter. “We only live once. That’s the question that I’m facing now, you know? If I have an opportunity to do it and all the stars align and I don’t do it – because I’ve still got it now. I’d say I’m in my best years. Will I regret, when I reach 50 years? … I don’t know.”
Spoke with the legendary Georges St-Pierre and asked why he would want to step back into the UFC pressure cooker when he could be comfortably retired.
His reply: "Why step back in? But why NOT step back in? We only live once! So that's the question that I'm facing now." pic.twitter.com/IxYLhBE68O
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 7, 2020
St-Pierre interested in return against Nurmagomedov
St-Pierre was interested in fighting UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov two years ago. Now, his feelings toward the fight are changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
St-Pierre is lacking the drive he once had to return to competition. That’s not saying he can’t get it back either.
“I’m kind of satisfied,” St-Pierre said. “Do you know what I mean? Satisfaction for the athlete is the death. You’re done. You’re finished when you’re satisfied. In order to come back, I’m in a mental state of mind where I’m not sure. The stars would need to be aligned perfectly.”
St-Pierre won the UFC welterweight title on two separate occasions as well as capturing the interim title. The Canadian defended the 170-pound strap nine times before taking a break from the sport in November 2013.
He returned to the octagon in November 2017 to win the middleweight title with a third-round submission win against Michael Bisping at UFC 217.
“I would need to put me back in a different warrior mode up here,” St-Pierre said. “Cause when I fight, my brain doesn’t function the same way when I am in normal life. Maybe it’s because of my obsessive compulsive thing that I’m so focused on it, that nothing else matters.”
Lightweight
Nurmagomedov is set to defend his lightweight title for the third time against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 on Oct. 24. Nurmagomedov has only fought at 155-pounds inside the octagon.
St-Pierre said he would have to meet Nurmagomedov in the middle if the the fight is ever to happen.
“He’s fighting at 155. I know I can go at 155, but the problem is I believe now I’m 39. Three years have passed and I haven’t cut weight for a long time. If I got down to 155, my performance would be compromised,” St-Pierre said. “If we cut more weight, he is able to bounce back more than I am. He’s used to it. I’ve never been a big fan of cutting weight, even when I was welterweight, I was 185, most guys are much bigger than 185.
“I believe to make it fair, we would need to fight in a place where we’ve never been. Both of us. That would have to be a condition to me coming back if it happened.”
