Georges St-Pierre “Needs Some Rest”, May Not Fight Again in 2008
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who is expected to take on UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn in his next bout, may not return to the octagon this year in favor of taking some time off.
St-Pierre announced his tentative plans in a recent blog post on RDS.ca (translated by Fightline):
Many state that my next opponent should be BJ Penn. Nothing has obviously been signed yet, but he is my number one challenger.
I believe he deserves a chance to challenge me for my title, but we’ll see what happens on that matter in the next few weeks.
Will my next fight be in Montreal? I deeply hope so…
In the course of the last week, UFC president Dana White indicated that he’d like to come back to Montreal before the end of the year. On my end, however, I don’t know if I’ll be stepping back into the Octagon before 2009.
I’ve fought four times in the last 12 months. I therefore need some rest. I like the life I lead, but I sometimes need to relax.
It’s not the fight as such that’s exhausting; it’s all the preparation that comes with it. I’ve made so many sacrifices to prepare myself. During training camps, I practically do not live anymore. It’s therefore on a psychological level that I need to recharge.
The proposed bout between St-Pierre and Penn was to headline UFC 92 on December 27th in Las Vegas, but it now appears that the fight is likely to be delayed until early-2009.
Thank God! He does need a break and i feel like he may have been pressured into taking a fight with bj penn for the new years card. Question for anyone out there…What does GSP have to gain by fighting Penn except keeping his title and being the only man to beat Penn twice in the ocatagon? It sounds like BJ is in a win win here. He wins he has two titles. He loses he still has the LW title. Its not like GSP is gonna drop down to 155 and take the LW belt??? So althought Id love to see GSP-Penn 2, it should just be a super fight, no titles but for 5 rounds.
Prediction: GSP Wins split decision.
PS.Matt Hughes is a bitter old man.
kaos,
You are correct, Georges needs to take a break.
4 fights this year is just insane. You don’t see
Liddell fighting that many times in a year. He takes at least 6 months in between fights.
bj fights 2 times a year, gsp fights 4 tiems a year… and some how bj deserves a title shot?
i dont think so, bj does deserve a fight with gsp but not for the title… too many of these fighters are jumping weight classes for title shots… i think bj should have to defend his title at least 3 times a year…and he should also have to fight at least one contender prior to gsp, maybe set him up with fitch, and if he cant beat fitch then he cant beat gsp…
Absolutely, GSP needs a well-deserved break. What is the point of doing any job if you cannot just sit back and relax once in awhile? GSP has given his fans so much.
I agree that BJ does not deserve a WW title shot just yet. I am fully aware that ever since the Pulver fight, Penn has been a different fighter. His new found dedication and conditioning have made him one of the best fighters on the planet. However, a record is a record; BJ’s last 2 fights at WW were both losses to Hughes and GSP. Although he is the LW champ, he shouldn’t be granted an instant WW title shot, no matter how bad the fans want it. He should need to fight at least two welterweight standouts (Koscheck, Fitch, Parisyan, Sanchez, or Alves come to mind) before he gets a shot at GSP. I also think it’s not right to put the LW title on hold for so long when there is clearly a #1 contender who deserves that title shot (KenFlo - and I’m not saying he stands a great chance against BJ.)
ie. When Anderson Silva fought at LHW, he didn’t get an instant shot at Forrest Griffin. He fought James Irvin. And Silva had made more title defenses at MW by that time than Penn has at LW. No way Penn should get a WW title shot right away.
Sounds like GSP Penn goes to Superbowl weekend.
my thoughts exactly, bj doesnt deserve a shot at the welterweight belt. he should truly dominate his class before hand, then take out a top ww contender. and if anyone really deserves to jump into another weight class for a title shot it should be anderson silva but we know that isnt gonna happen.
if penn was always training the way he is now instead of being lazy when he was that fresh new phenomenal kid back in the old days, then he would be everything hes saying he is now. but that wasnt the case so hes gotta work at it again now that hes finally got a belt in his hands for longer then 5 minutes
Yeah GSP should probably take a little time off. This definitely hurts the new years card a bit. now they need to make it a LHW showcase and put Chuck/Forrest on top of shogun/rampage and Wandy vs the winner of Machida/Silva
the problem with bj is that he has to defend his own title cuz he has challengers…so that wont let him move up in the rankings in the welter weight division…i wana see bj vs gsp but i understand wut evry1 is saying
first of all, since BJ Penn MIGHT be second only to Anderson Silva in pound for pound rankings, he “deserves” to fight whoever the hell he wants to. Secondly, BJ Penn CLEARLY is the best in his division…Ken Flo, Huerta, Sherk, Griffin, Edgars, or whoever else they want to line has absolutely no realistic chance in coming close to defeating him. Take BJ out and the division all of a sudden becomes very compettive. Thirdly, BJ deserves a rematch with St Pierre, who just happens to be champion. There is no competition for either of these guys in their respective divisions. And lastly, Anderson Silva fought a LHW match against the tomato can James Irvin because Dana White asked him to, to counter the Affliction card, not because he has aspirations of moving weight classes. jesus people.
I like GSP but I think he’s ducking Penn a little bit here. He wouldn’t directly answer the question when Penn was asking him to fight him and now this. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve a break and all but I think he is a little worried after the last meeting between the 2. Even here he didn’t say that he wants to fight Penn. He says “Many state that my next opponent should be BJ Penn. Nothing has obviously been signed yet, but he is my number one challenger.
I believe he deserves a chance to challenge me for my title, but we’ll see what happens on that matter in the next few weeks.”
That leaves the door open for another oponent.
Glad to see some support for GSP. He does need a break. On another news site people were trash talking GSP for taking a rest and saying he’s trying to duck Penn. Some people are just looking to hate.
No one is a really marketable challenger for BJ at the Lwt right now. That’s still what this business is about.Thats not saying there aren’t talented guys out there.GSP vs Penn 2 is a high dollar money fight. Dana should do a tourney like the one the boxing promoters did with the HVWT belt when Tyson was coming into his own back in the day. Just let the story build itself. Meanwhile Gsp and Penn can blast.
Tourney
Nate Diaz
Clay Guida
Sherk
Kenflo
Tyson G
Danzig
Spenser F.
And Faber for seasoning(prehype for a showdown with Tyson G)
And whomever else they can fill out a three/four show bracket with…
Why all the negativity for this fight? We have the opportunity to see two of the sports top P4P fighters go at it while they’re at the top of their respective divisions. Alves didn’t even make weight for his fight against Hughes, Florian isn’t considered a top 10 LW. Why do you guys want to see those fights. BJ Penn and St. Pierre are both widely ranked #1 in the divisions, both dismanted the former champs in the last year. Had a very competitive fight the last time. What’s the big ****ing problem with this fight? I’m glad you guys don’t make the matchups for the UFC!!! Even St. Pierre thinks BJ is deserving, so rest up Georges, it’s going to be the fight of the year when this goes down.
GSP isnt ducking Bj he needs some rest he has none stop fights and i like him to fight but he needs rest! and hopfully KENFLO can get his fight with BJ before the year is over.
GSP’s talk is just part of the sport ala last night’s Tapout show with the Weigh in issue.
I’m glad GSP decides this. It should just not be on Penn’s terms. I agree, BJ has to fight at least one WW contender before taking a shot on GSP. GSP needs to rest those muscles!!! in order to get them pumped up again.
wouldnt u add edgar in this tourney.
Def would have to add frankie. He beat Griffen and only has 1 loss.
Oh and I haven’t read a lot of negativity on this fight. I’m the only one who said anything negative and it was more or less questioning if he scared, not actually saying he is.
I 100% agree that the GSP-Penn fight should just be a fight, 5 rounds, no titles on the line.
Penn v Florian in December
they need to make every fight 5 rounds
You guys have to remember that Georges is having some trouble negotiating a new contract with the UFC. He has one fight left on his contract.
He definetly needs a break after fighting 4 times in the last year. He is not ducking anyone. I am sure he would be more than happy to fight BJ. He has beat him once and has improved leaps and bounds since that fight with BJ.
There is alot going on behind the scenes that we do not know about. I am sure Dana would love to see BJ take that title and having Georges fight consecutively like this just might give BJ the edge. It would make for a huge rematch between them. Dana is a smart business man and knows that BJ and Georges are huge PPV draws on their own and even larger fighting each other.
Georges isn’t ducking BJ by taking a break. He needs some time off to recharge his mind. So take some time Georges and enjoy life. When you fight BJ we want to see the best GSP.
I think that GSP deserves the same renumeration that Chuck Lidell gets, if not a little more. He is one of the best out there, bar none. BJ is awesome as well, I cannot take anything away from him.
So Dana, if you are listening, please pay GSP at least what you have given Chuck. He is a very positive face for the UFC and one of the best fighters in the world. Some guys are worth the extra, but you of course know this already. I have no idea what GSP is asking for but you are both smart businessmen, I am sure you will figure it out.
GSP taking a break? I can understand that.
I think BJ is deserved of an instant WW title shot. Why? Because he’s BJ Penn. And because I want to see that fight happen as soon as possible. And, yes, I’m a greedy fan–I want to see the best fighters fight each other.
1st eaiest way to explain why all fights aren’t 5 rounds…Kalib starnes.
2nd I love how many GSP fans are on this site. He’s not unbeatable (in fact between GSP and BJ only one of them have has been knocked out and submitted and it aint BJ) GSP’s wrestling has become world class, but his BJJ isn’t great and he doesn’t have KO power in his hands. And I still maintain he is a head case and was worried about getting KO’d by Fitch in the 3rd. Its the only reason that he takes fitch down instead of finishing a wobbled Fitch off against the cage. He’s done nothing on the ground against Kos and Fitch in both those desicions. He beat the Matt’s but I would argue both are down hill. BJ is now in his prime, his cardio has always been the only thing that has stopped him from being the greatest all time and that’s changed. I can’t wait for this fight it should be a war.
well either bj fights KENFLO or he fights someone in WW to prove he deserves a title shot.
BJ Penn doesn’t deserve a damn thing in regards to the welterweight division.
I do want to see that fight but only when BJ deserves it. What the hell makes BJ think he deserves a shot at GSP. How often does a guy with 2 straight losses in a division get a shot for the belt? If it does then UFC is a joke like EliteXC. I like BJ but i was pissed when he pulled a WWE and came into the ring and called out GSP before he could even enjoy the victory. Im suprised he didnt have a folded chair in his hand and attack GSP from behind. Let the guy have some rest, the continuous training GSP goes through would kill most of us.
Haha Shocking a guy with GSP as his screenname would say that. Of course BJ deserves this fight. He is a champ and clearly dominated all of his opponents, they have history with a very close split desicion, and its a HUGE! Payday. When do you get 2 of the best P4P fighters in there prime going against each other? So stop whinning about is he worthy. Its gonna happen, get over it.