Georges St-Pierre was forced to vacate the middleweight title after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2017, but ‘Rush’ is now ‘fully recovered’ and, according to the UFC legend himself, in the best shape of his career.
“I’m feeling great physically, in great shape like never before,” St-Pierre said on the La Sueur podcast, per MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew. “[Ulcerative colitis] is very serious but I’ve fully recovered from it. I don’t need to take my medication anymore.”
With that said, the former two-division champion isn’t sure if he wants to come out of retirement, at least not against a rising UFC star.
“I could [come back] but to tell the truth, it’s less and less tempting for me,” GSP said. “I did not think I would say that one day: I’m getting older. I don’t want to fight a young guy that hasn’t made it on the legacy side, that isn’t a name. I would have nothing to win. Every time we enter the octagon, it’s a risk. you could have a bad day. . . We are always a mistake away from the KO or a serious injury., so it’s always a risk and the risk must be worth it.
“I’m not interested in coming back, fighting a rising star, and destroying that guy. It give me nothing and I destroy the dream of a rising star. Both of us are losing then, we are just earning more money. If I come back, it’s not necessarily for more money but for legacy.”
St-Pierre may have some interest in taking on undefeated lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, but the 37-year-old is in no rush. In fact, St-Pierre might very well never step foot in the Octagon again.
“Khabib said that he would like to fight me before the McGregor fight,” he said. “It did not interest me at that time. He was not famous, he did not beat someone with a title or with a name. Now that he beat McGregor, it’s better.
“[But] I’m not the guy who calls out people. It’s not my personality. I know people are talking about that fight; however, I know the UFC would not be interested in that fight at 155 [pounds]. They know that I’m at the end of my career. I have not many fights left. I will come back for maybe 1, 2, 3 fights. Maybe zero. Maybe I will not come back and I’m okay with that.”
Despite being one of the most accomplished and decorated UFC champions of all-time, St-Pierre sometimes feels the need to prove himself against the modern-day fighters, which is is why he will never fully close the door on a comeback.
“When I set goals I said that I didn’t want to be pushed out of the sport,” St-Pierre said. “I wanted to retire on my own terms and on top. If I do that now, I would have accomplished my mission.
“However, the competitor inside me is still here, so when I see the young guys getting ready for a fight after a workout, with me feeling good and strong, it makes me want to come back. That’s where it’s the most difficult for me. I want to go back there. I feel fit, at my top. I feel better than when I was 25. But when I’m with my family and all, that’s less tempting. When I wake up in the morning, I’m asking myself: ‘Do you really want to go back in that circus?’”
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