Author Topic: Will GSP leave the UFC for the Olympics? (Read 458 times)

RyPrax · « **on:** 17 November 2009, 08:18:42 PM »

You guys may have heard that there is talk in the MMA world that Georges St-Pierre is looking to make Team Canada for the 2012 Olympis in London (wrestling, likely 74kg weight class). GSP has already started training, and while there is no word on whether or not he'd leave UFC entirely do accomplish his goal, training for the Olympics isn't something you do on the side.

Here's an article highlighing GSP's chances at accomplishing the feat:

Georges St. Pierre wants to wrestle in the Olympics? It's not that easy - Cagewriter - MMA - Yahoo! Sports

While they make it sound like GSP doesn't know what he's getting himself into, it sounds like they don't know who this guy is. He's a beast, and he's the best at what he does. He does a lot of wrestling in his training as it is, and while he may not be at the level of some of Canada's best in that weight class, I don't doubt that he can get himself into shape for the Olympic level by 2011.

Question is, is he doing this because he wants a medal and wants to compete at the Olympics, or is he doing this because there's no more competition for him in UFC? We'll see him face Hardy soon, and how he handles that..

Would he be better off trying to fight at 185? I think I speak for everyone when I say that Anderson Silva vs. GSP would be a UFC dream match and a real test for two guys that simply dominate at their weight classes.

How many fights does GSP have left in him in the UFC? And how much will leaving UFC affect the company?

Cannon · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 November 2009, 09:53:21 PM »

GSP has a title to defend.. He needs to worry about that before the Olympics. If you ask me he is being disrespectful toward the UFC and title by training for the Olympics he is basically saying "You guys bore me." If he wants to do it than do it, but pick one or the other.

Gorsty · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 November 2009, 11:18:25 PM »

Watching him recently, he's outwrestled world class wrestlers in the Octagon, so it would also improve his skills for fighting in the UFC. I'd love to see him do both as it would give MMA a huge boost seeing a current MMA champion competing in the olympics

RyPrax · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 November 2009, 01:38:12 AM »

Quote from: Cannon;36035

GSP has a title to defend.. He needs to worry about that before the Olympics. If you ask me he is being disrespectful toward the UFC and title by training for the Olympics he is basically saying "You guys bore me." If he wants to do it than do it, but pick one or the other.

Unfortunately that's how it is in the UFC at the moment, and not only for him. IMO, there's a good 5 to 10 guys spread out throughout the divisions who are completely out of the league of everyone else. GSP, Silva, Lesnar (hopefully), Penn, Machida...

They all have championships, and honestly, unless an opponent gets lucky, it's unlikely any of them will lose their titles. Silva literally has no competition at 185, neither does GSP... Machida had a seemingly close fight with Rua but the more I think about it the more I feel like Machida silently dominated him... people were looking forward to Lesnar vs. Carwin but Lesnar was clearly the favorite there... and the last guy who was supposed to give a challenge to penn (KenFlo) got owned.

GSP vs. Hardy will be a good fight, but it's more than likely that GSP will take the match easily. He has his strategy and it works for him. After that fight, who does he fight?

There's no one! So what does he do? Continue defending his title 3 times a year, making a few million each year, and that's it?

I don't blame him for wanting a bigger challenge, and I don't think it's disrespectful... if anything, it's good publicity for the UFC if he makes it or even wins a medal!

Cannon · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 November 2009, 02:37:33 AM »

First off, he is Canadian and it's the summer Olympics. He won't win a medal..... Secondly, I will agree it is good publicity but it takes full commitment to get there and he either one, needs to vacate the title or not do it. Because it's not fair to the fans if he comes in with his mind elsewhere and gets upset by someone like Hardy who clealry isn't better than GSP it is a disservice to the fans that he didn't defend his title properly.

I also think he is taking a step backwards... Look at Hendo, Brock, and tons of other guys. They were wrestlers before fighters. If it was me I'd rather fight 3 times a year and make a few a million and maybe in that time I could get some bit movie roles and start turning myself into a brand or become a coach on TUF (which he and Hardy are being considered for.) and get more exposure... It's disrespectful to the fans and fighters in his weight class. I hope the guys at 170 look at it this way and beat his ass.... He is telling the world that he has nothing left to do in UFC and that it is below... Maybe old GSP should move up in a weight class or does Matt Hughes have to comeback and beat him a 3rd time?

RyPrax · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 November 2009, 04:43:57 PM »

Quote from: Cannon;36044

First off, he is Canadian and it's the summer Olympics. He won't win a medal....

You don't even know what you're talking about. Canada may not be the strongest team in the summer olympics, especially compared to the Winter olympics, but they're strong in wrestling. Read the story I posted. And just because a country is weak at an overall event like the Olympics, doesn't mean that GSP can't win a single medal. You're either trying to be funny, or you're trying to be an ignorant american, either way, you're wrong about that.

But I guess a measily Canadian can't win a medal...

Fun fact: At the last summer olympics, Canada had almost double the medals per person (18 medals / 30 million people) than the US did (110 medals / 310 million people).

Quote

Secondly, I will agree it is good publicity but it takes full commitment to get there and he either one, needs to vacate the title or not do it. Because it's not fair to the fans if he comes in with his mind elsewhere and gets upset by someone like Hardy who clealry isn't better than GSP it is a disservice to the fans that he didn't defend his title properly.

Wrestling is already part of his regiment, and while, yes, he would need to focus entirely on that to get to the Olympics, that doesn't mean he can't have 1, 2 or maybe 3 more fights in UFC before taking on the Olympic dream head on. The world championships that he would need to be in are in like the summer of 2011, so he has the time to fight a few proper UFC fights. And if he still has the belt by then, then he should drop it regardless, seeing as he would have beaten everyone.

Quote

I also think he is taking a step backwards... Look at Hendo, Brock, and tons of other guys. They were wrestlers before fighters. If it was me I'd rather fight 3 times a year and make a few a million and maybe in that time I could get some bit movie roles and start turning myself into a brand or become a coach on TUF (which he and Hardy are being considered for.) and get more exposure... It's disrespectful to the fans and fighters in his weight class. I hope the guys at 170 look at it this way and beat his ass.... He is telling the world that he has nothing left to do in UFC and that it is below... Maybe old GSP should move up in a weight class or does Matt Hughes have to comeback and beat him a 3rd time?

So what if he doesn't have anything left to do in UFC? I do agree that maybe he should take a stab at fighting at 185, but who knows? Maybe he feels like he doesn't have the body to fight at a higher weight class. If he goes to the Olympics, he'll actually be fighting at around 165. He's a fairly small guy who's found a niche at 170. 185 might not be his cup of tea.

And even so, how is winning an Olympic medal a step back? It's regarded as one of the highest feats an athlete can accomplish. Maybe in the US it doesn't resound as much across normal folks, but internationally, I'd bet you if you asked an athlete in almost any sport, hockey, basketball, soccer, whatever, they'd say that winning an Olympic medal is at the very least equal to winning the stanley cup, or an NBA championship, or winning at the premier league (only the world cup is probably more important to soccer players).

And have Henderson or Brock ever competed at the Olympics? If the answer is no, it's probably because they don't have the ability to compete at that level. The Olympics are the pinnacle of all sports, you represent your country, and why should the fans of the UFC be treated any differently than Canadians (myself included), who would love to see GSP with a medal around his neck while the national anthem is playing?

Cannon · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 November 2009, 07:26:16 PM »

My reply will be short..... Prax, your argument is short sighted and bias on this. He is your fellow Montreal Canadian... He can do nothing wrong and only right in your eyes.

RyPrax · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 November 2009, 02:29:41 AM »

Quote from: Cannon;36055

My reply will be short..... Prax, your argument is short sighted and bias on this. He is your fellow Montreal Canadian... He can do nothing wrong and only right in your eyes.

And your reply isn't bias? You said he won't win because he's Canadian... I might be bias and short sided about it but so are you. For you, he's a douche for even wanting to do this and if he does, he's turning his back on the UFC and its fans...