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Georges St-Pierre is widely considered one of the greatest MMA fighters ever. The three-time former UFC welterweight champion reigned in his division for seven years, and was virtually untouchable. Adding to his unbeatable legacy, St-Pierre also won the UFC middleweight championship after returning from a four-year hiatus in 2017.
With a 26-2 record, Georges St-Pierre was one of the most successful MMA fighters. Unlike most of the other UFC superstars, 'Rush' has managed to maintain an image of a gentleman throughout the years. Well-mannered and well-behaved, the persona has worked excellently well for GSP, earning the multi-division champion a ton of endorsement and movie deals.
Apart from having all the attributes of a superstar, what helped Georges St-Pierre stand out from the rest was his brutal honesty. Be it during his active years or after retirement, the welterweight legend never shied away from voicing his honest opinion, no matter how ugly the truth was.
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On that note, here's a look at five times Georges St-Pierre was brutally honest:
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#5 Georges St-Pierre said young fighters should consider leaving the fight business
Georges St-Pierre learned MMA to defend himself against bullies, and went on to become one of the greatest combat sports athletes to have ever lived. Going by his career graph, one would imagine him to be a big advocate for pushing MMA as a career option. However, the reality is quite the opposite.
During his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, St-Pierre gave brutally honest advice to young fighters wanting to take up MMA as a career. He said:
"(For) A lot of them, my advice would be, 'Hey bro, you should hang up your gloves and find a real job. Because I’ve seen this movie, and it’s not a good ending, my friend.' But if I tell them the truth, they get mad at me.."
Having enjoyed one of the longest reigns as a UFC champion and having an illustrious MMA career, 'Rush' is a big advocate of health and safety. He is not a fan of sparring too hard in the gym. Revealing the ugly side of the price fighters pay for trying to be the best, St-Pierre said:
"I could be brain damaged, but so far I think I’m good. I see guys sparring, and they lose a lot of brain cells. I believe the best way to improve is when it’s playful. It’s crazy how many guys I've seen that have left their careers in the gyms because they spar too hard."
Watch Georges St-Pierre's brutally honest interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast below:
#4 Georges St-Pierre weighed in on UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman has drawn comparisons with Georges St-Pierre for dominating his division in a similar fashion. The No.2-ranked UFC pound-for-pound fighter is unbeaten in the UFC, and has looked untouchable since winning the championship title in 2019.
While Georges St-Pierre defended his title nine times in a row before vacating it, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has defended his belt four times in less than two years. UFC president Dana White recently suggested that Kamaru Usman was not far off from reaching GOAT status.
Weighing in on the debate, Georges St-Pierre acknowledged what most athletes feared the most and gave his brutally honest opinion on the same. He said:
"In terms of accomplishments, it’s different. I’ve done stuff that I believe he (Usman) hasn’t done yet. But I’m gonna tell you the truth, and as painful as it could be for any athlete to admit it, the athletes of today are normally better than the athletes of yesterday."
"As good as the athletes of today are, the athletes of tomorrow will be better. That’s how it is. I don’t care who you are. Even if you’re Usain Bolt, you beat the world record, in a few years there will be another guy that comes and beats your record. I don’t think it’s because the guys are better, it’s because the technology is better, and it’s the same thing in mixed martial arts."
Georges St-Pierre added that considering everything, he believed he could beat Kamaru Usman in his prime. He said:
"We cannot measure the performance like in sprinting or in weight lifting, but we can only speculate and, of course, time for time, maybe he didn’t win 11 (title fights), but he’s raising the bar. And if I don’t admit that, that means I’m insulting the entire UFC roster. That means I’m saying the sport is regressing, and it’s not true. I believe the sport is getting better. Do I feel that if I go back in my prime, and I could fight Kamaru Usman? I do think, yes. I could have done it. However, I know for a fact that as time goes by, guys get better."
Watch Georges St-Pierre speak about a potential fight against Kamaru Usman:
#3 Georges St-Pierre warned Conor McGregor to get out of his comfort zone
Conor McGregor is easily one of the biggest MMA stars who has revolutionized the sport in several ways. However, since becoming the first UFC athlete to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously, he has been on a downward spiral. While the 'Notorious' once looked invincible, he has suffered several losses in recent years, going 1-3 in a span of four years.
Speaking after Conor McGregor's UFC 257 loss against Dustin Poirier, Georges St-Pierre gave his brutally honest opinion yet again. He warned the Irishman, and suggested him to get out of his comfort zone or risk losing his glory. Blaming McGregor's change in mentality after nearly reaching a billion in his net worth, Georges St-Pierre said:
"When I made my first million, of course my life changed. I had more security, and I didn’t feel that I was fighting for the same reason that I was in the beginning in terms of security. When I was poor in the beginning, I was on the edge.. When you get money, these things change. However, to keep performing, you need to get out of your comfort zone."
Georges St-Pierre said that in order to recreate the environment of a fight during training camp, McGregor needs to stop being his own boss. He said:
"He needs to not be the boss of his training camp. He needs his coaches to tell him now you’re gonna spar this gu;, you’re gonna go there, do this. Even if it doesn’t please him, he needs to go through that. Because if you stay in your comfort zone, the only thing that can happen is you will go down. You need to do that."
#2 Georges St-Pierre believed Conor McGregor has 'lost some of his ability'
Georges St-Pierre has watched Conor McGregor's career arc, especially his back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier. Therefore, 'GSP' believes fighting 'The Diamond' for the fourth time is not a good idea for the Irishman.
While McGregor promised to take on Poirier for a fourth time after suffering a freak injury at UFC 264, St-Pierre thinks it's a bad idea. He said:
"If I’m his (Conor McGregor's) manager, I don’t want my client to come back to fight the same guy again for the fourth time. Because now it seems like Dustin has his number. He needs to perhaps take another fight. I think he should come back and maybe fight Nate Diaz or someone else that has a different style than Dustin Poirier, because styles make fights, and I have the feeling that now Dustin Poirier probably has his number right now."
Georges St-Pierre added that since McGregor has been inactive for a long time, having fought only four times in five years, he has lost his mojo. Voicing his brutally honest opinion about the 'champ-champ,' St-Pierre said:
"Conor has been out for a long time. He needs to get back in there to spend more time in the octagon in order to find his own self, the way he moves and his abilities. It seems like he might have lost some of his ability due to his inactivity."
#1 Georges St-Pierre dropped the truth bomb on his idol Matt Hughes
Before Georges St-Pierre made his impact in the UFC and cemented his place as the greatest welterweight ever, it was Matt Hughes who was dominating the company. St-Pierre confessed that he considered Hughes to be his idol, and it was the 'Gracie Killer' that handed 'GSP' the first of his only two MMA losses in 2004.
When Hughes avenged his loss against BJ Penn at UFC 63, while also defending his welterweight title, Georges St-Pierre was inside the octagon to congratulate him. However, in one of the most savage moments in St-Pierre's life, he gave the most brutally honest opinion ever, telling Hughes:
"I'm very glad you won that fight, Matt. But I'm not impressed by your performance, and I look forward to fight you in the near future."
The statement surprised the whole arena, including Matt Hughes, who couldn't help but smile. When Joe Rogan asked what he felt about St-Pierre's statement, Hughes said:
"That's his opinion. It might stink, but it's his opinion."
Matt Hughes and Georges St-Pierre faced each other inside the octagon two months later at UFC 65, where 'Rush' TKO'd his idol and one of the greatest welterweight fighters the UFC has ever known.
