The UFC needed that.
The world’s preeminent mixed martial arts organisation was in desperate need of a superstar in a year during which Ronda Rousey hasn’t fought, Conor McGregor hasn’t taken to the Octagon and Jon Jones fulfilled his seemingly annual obligation to get suspended.
There are few guaranteed pay-per-view successes in MMA but welterweight legend Georges St-Pierre still seems to be one of them and, on Saturday night, he joined an exclusive club of fighters to have claimed titles in more than one UFC weight class when he choked Michael Bisping unconscious to get his hands on the UFC middleweight belt.
Following a four-year absence, St-Pierre has returned to his status as one of the UFC’s most reliable cash-cows.
Having strangled ‘The Count’ into unconsciousness, St-Pierre’s next move is a fascinating one as he suggested that he could possibly return to 170lbs for a clash with current champion Tyron Woodley.
“This is not my real weight,” St-Pierre said in his post-fight interview.
“I did it for the challenge and there was a time in my career I was too busy – the challengers were one after the other and I was too small to go up.
“I was even small for a welterweight.
“I’m still welterweight size but I decided to take a shot because I put on some muscle mass.
“There is a point that it’s too much but now I’m at a point that it’s okay.”
But UFC President Dana White is adamant that St-Pierre won’t immediately vacate his newly won title.
White told reporters in New York City that he would push for a unification bout between the Canadian and interim middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker.
White says he wants to GSP v Whittaker next.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 5, 2017
Dana says Whittaker is next for GSP #UFC #UFC217
— SI Ringside (@SI_Ringside) November 5, 2017
