GSP not returning for one-off, aims to make another title run
Georges St-Pierre doesn't want his potential comeback to be a novelty.
While there's still plenty of negotiating to be done between St-Pierre's management and UFC brass, the former welterweight champion said Wednesday on "UFC Tonight" that if he returns, he'll be trying to re-establish himself as a top fighter in the sport.
GSP says he doesn't want his comeback to be a one-off, he wants to make a full fledged run in the UFC.
— UFC Tonight (@UFCTonight) September 1, 2016
GSP also responded to Dana White's recent comment that St-Pierre no longer has a "world champion" attitude. Despite his lengthy tenure with the promotion, St-Pierre thinks the UFC president doesn't know him - and believes it wouldn't take much to prove he's still a legitimate title contender.
"Let me fight once, and in the first minute of the fight, you’ll see what you said was wrong," said St-Pierre. "Let me fight (welterweight champion) Tyron Woodley if he wants to see if I want to be a world champion again."
When the subject of UFC 206 in Toronto came up, St-Pierre argued that he's the best choice to headline the Dec. 10 event at the Air Canada Centre. GSP was in the main event of the UFC's first trip to Toronto back in April 2011, and the UFC sold out the Rogers Centre with a reported attendance of 55,724.
He insisted that there's no personal beef between himself and White - they're just two men doing their jobs. For White, it's his job to get the best deal possible for the new owners; for St-Pierre, he has to get the best deal for himself.
St-Pierre's current sponsorship situation with the likes of Under Armour and NOS Energy Drink directly conflict with the UFC's exclusive sponsorship deal with Reebok. According to St-Pierre, he'd lose money if he was forced to abandon his sponsors and comply with the UFC-Reebok policies.
Though it makes sense for GSP and the UFC to pair up again, there will be no resolution until the dollars and cents are sorted out.
"I want to come back," said St-Pierre. "They know the terms I want. Trust me, I'm very reasonable, so it's up to them."
St-Pierre has not fought since winning a close split decision against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 on Nov. 16, 2013.