Georges St-Pierre Fighter Profile
- Age: 43
- Weight Classes: Welterweight & Middleweight
- Country of Birth: Canada
- Pro MMA Record: 26-2-0
- Knockout Wins: 8
- Submission Wins: 6
- Nickname: Rush
- Championships Won: UFC Welterweight & Middleweight
- Team: Tristar Gym
- Career Earnings Estimate: $7,037,000 USD
If the conversation topic is ‘Who’s the G.O.A.T. of MMA,’ it doesn’t sound right without mentioning Canada’s own, Georges St-Pierre, as highlighted by the best UFC betting sites.
The former two-division UFC champion is arguably the greatest 170-pound fighter to have ever graced the octagon and, in the eyes of some, the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist ever.
GSP called it a career after becoming a two-division champion in 2017. Still, seven years after his departure from professional competition, we look back on a legendary career boasting several UFC records that may never be broken.
GSP: By the Numbers
Behind a 26-2 pro-MMA record, St-Pierre is often recognized as one of the greatest mixed martial artists in history due to the statistical records and accomplishments that assisted him in defining such an unforgettable legacy, as affirmed by top sportsbooks.
In the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s 31-year existence, GSP is just one of nine fighters who have won championship gold in multiple weight classes. He obtained the UFC welterweight title in 2006 after losing it and winning it back from Matt Serra. Nine title defenses later, he took a four-year hiatus from the sport before returning as a middleweight to dethrone Michael Bisping, thus achieving two-division-champ status.
Speaking of title defenses, the nine times GSP defended the welterweight title from 2007 to 2013 remain the most in the division’s history. Not to mention the 20-2 UFC record he retired with, which was accompanied by the most takedowns in promotional history (90) and the second most successes in title fights (12), just one behind Jon Jones (13).
Wrestling GOAT: GSP or Khabib
Mixed martial arts provide its fans with a slew of intriguing styles. From kickboxing and boxing to jiu-jitsu and judo, wrestling has been a solid base for countless champions over the decades, and there’s no denying that GSP is one of the best in this regard.
GSP’s pressure and ability to control the opposition through offensive wrestling was second to none. While he also owned a punishing jab that would often neutralize his opponent’s striking offense on the feet, no other fighter in UFC history has landed more takedowns and garnered more top-control time than Canada’s finest.
Some would argue that GSP was the first true elite mixed martial artist who didn’t stem from a background in one lone discipline, as earlier generations of MMA competitors often relied on singular skill sets, i.e., BJJ, striking. That said, there’s no denying his wrestling prowess was an element in his success, and to this day, we still argue about who’s the greatest wrestler in sports history… Khabib Nurmagomedov or GSP?
GSP: Writing His Own Legacy
We can talk about and highlight Georges St-Pierre’s in-cage accomplishments all day long, but it’s difficult to ignore the fact that GSP, who lived by the bushido code better than most fighters, wrote his own legacy by being correct in his decisions.
The UFC’s idea of marketing soon evolved to feature its fighter’s trash-talking, and the media would stir the pot, thus generating a genuine disdain among fighters ahead of Fight Night, but St-Pierre was the opposite, and on the rare occasions where he tried (“I’m not impressed by your performance”), it was forced and felt comical to a point.
Aged 32, the MMA community was left in shock when GSP exited the sport. But again, following the fashion of writing his own legacy, he wasn’t shy in expressing his reasoning for dropping the title during the prime of his career. He was heavily critical of the lack of drug testing at the time, and with concerns for his own health, he refused to compete against potential drug cheats.
Following GSP’s hiatus, he sent fans into a frenzy when announcing his octagon return in 2016. Once again, with no fear of his bosses and staying true to himself, he revealed how the company wanted him to cover up an injury that postponed his return from early to late 2017.
GSP wasn’t a company man; he stood up for what was right and never bowed to the money. Even after he defeated Bisping to become a two-division champion, he turned down a life-changing payday to fight Khabib because a cut to 155lbs would’ve been detrimental to his health. Instead, he walked away from the sport, much like he did after the Johny Hendricks PED saga, which initially caused his four-year retirement. This time, however, the legend walked away for good.
St-Pierre completed MMA, and he did it on his terms in a commendable way. Not only did he show the utmost respect for the sport, fans, and his opponents, but he also proved why it’s crucial to stand by one’s beliefs. He was and still is a model figure in a violent world that isn’t too far from its “Just Bleed” generation. Perhaps he is one of the leading reasons why the UFC was ever treated as a legitimate, professional athletic sport.
From a young boy born and raised in Quebec who founded self-defense to escape bullying, George’s backstory has a middle and end that provided one of the most legendary fighting careers in UFC history. I suppose George, from a child to the man he is now, never turned his back on fighting for what was right.
GSP’s legendary status is cemented in the annals of professional mixed martial arts; he was the G.O.A.T. before the term ‘greatest of all time’ was even a thing. And while we’ll always remember him telling Matt Hughes: “I’m not impressed by your performance,” we are very impressed by yours, sir… Thank you.
GSP Mixed Martial Arts Accomplishments
The Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Hall of Fame (Modern-Era Wing 2020)
- UFC Middleweight Champion (One time)
- UFC Welterweight Champion (Two times, nine defenses)
- The fourth multi-division champion in UFC history
- Most successful title defenses in UFC welterweight division history (9)
- Most takedowns landed in UFC history (90)
- Most control time in UFC history (2 hours, 24 minutes, 4 seconds)
- Second highest significant striking defense in UFC history (73%)
