Issue 058

January 2010

STATISTICS

Name: Georges St Pierre 

Age: 28

Height: 5’10”

Category: Welterweight (170lb)

Record: 19-2-0

Fighting style: Kyokushin karate/wrestling/BJJ

Fights out of: Montreal, Canada

Active since: 2002 

Few fighters have reached the status of UFC welterweight champion Georges St Pierre. One of the sport’s biggest stars, the Canadian has established himself as not only the top welterweight fighter in the sport, but possibly as one of the greatest fighters of all time.  

St Pierre can boast one of the best coaches in the business in Greg Jackson, and counts fighters such as Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and Keith Jardine as training partners. He has trained with the Canadian Olympic wrestling team (and even briefly considered trying out for the Olympics himself) and works with cutting-edge trainers in both striking and grappling.  

A fantastic athlete, St Pierre has the perfect blend of mental toughness, physicality and technical expertise. He showed his grit and determination in his decision win over Thiago Alves (GSP tore his groin midway through the fight) and bounced back from defeat to Matt Serra and returned better than ever. With a quiet, modest air of determination, St Pierre is the epitome of a fighter as a true martial artist.  

Adaptability 

It has been said that you never know which Georges St Pierre is going to turn up – it could be GSP the kickboxer or GSP the wrestler. His ability to fight in different styles means it is highly difficult to predict how he will attack, therefore near-impossible to formulate a gameplan in how to beat him.  

Athleticism 

Owner of a picture-perfect set of washboard abs, GSP claims that he has never dieted in his life and has had abs since he was a child. Blessed with a natural athleticism most fighters could only dream of, he has developed his physical attributes by training with his strength and conditioning coach Jon Chaimberg, seen by those in the health and fitness industry as one of the leading trainers in MMA.

Footwork

GSP has some of the fastest feet in MMA – his fluid kicking comes from his background in karate and his extensive training with noted Muay Thai coach, Phil Nurse. The Canadian’s footwork also means he can move in and out of range of his opponents with blinding speed, or shoot among the most explosive double-leg takedowns you will see in the Octagon.  

CAREER SNAPSHOT

2002

Makes MMA debut, fights three times and wins Canadian title.  

2004

Makes UFC debut, batters the tough Jay Hieron to defeat – suffers first loss (to Matt Hughes).  

2005

Goes on a four-fight rampage, beats Mayhem Miller, Frank Trigg and Sean Sherk.  

2006

Beats BJ Penn by split decision – TKO’s Hughes for the title.  

2007

Suffers shock loss to Matt Sera – returns stronger than ever against Koscheck and Hughes.  

2008

Regains welterweight title, beats Fitch.  

2009

Beats Penn and Alves, nominated as Fighter of the Year.