GSP Says He ‘Never Enjoyed One Second in the Octagon’ During UFC Career

Even during a global pandemic, there’s still time for Georges St. Pierre to talk about another UFC comeback.

During an interview with ESPN, the former welterweight and middleweight champion described the mixed emotions he has when he considers what it might be like to step into the Octagon once more.

“Sometimes when I’m in the gym or I watch a fight, sometimes I’m excited and I’m looking at the fight, and I’m like, ‘Man, I know I can beat these guys,’” St. Pierre said. “And then after I wake up in the morning or before I go to bed, I tell myself, ‘What the hell am I thinking?’ I don’t want to go back into that stressful lifestyle, you know?”

St. Pierre returned from a four-year hiatus in November 2017 at UFC 217, where he choked out Michael Bisping in the third round of the evening’s main event to claim the promotion’s middleweight crown. The Canadian star vacated the belt following a bout with colitis and then formally announced his retirement in February 2019 after negotiations for a potential fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov fell through.

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Even then, rumors of a GSP comeback remain, and longtime Tristar Gym coach Firas Zahabi has gone on record saying he believes “Rush” will eventually compete again.

While St. Pierre may yet be lured out of retirement with the right offer, it won’t be for the sheer love of fighting. The lifelong martial artist says it’s something that he never truly relished despite all of his success.

“I love what fighting gave me: the freedom, the money, all the advantage that comes with it – but I actually don’t like to fight,” he said. “I never enjoyed one second in the Octagon in my entire career. I just liked to do it because I’m just very good with it and I like what it gives me, but I don’t like the actual fight. It’s very stressful.”

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