Firas Zahabi Says Georges St-Pierre Will Only Return For Fight With Khabib Or Conor McGregor
One of the most intriguing match-ups the fans want to see is a showdown between Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, with GSP retiring from the sport, it is not really easy to say whether one of the greatest welterweights of all time will face one of the greatest lightweights of all time.
Understandably though, everyone wants to see it, including Khabib himself. That said, GSP’s coach Firas Zahabi recently opened up on the ‘dream match’ never taking place.
“Right now I think the ship has sailed on 155”, Zahabi told MMA Junkie at Tristar Gym. “I don’t think Georges will ever do 155. I think there was a time and place and window where Georges would make that sacrifice to do a mega-fight. But I think that window’s passed, personally.”
Georges St-Pierre came back from retirement to defeat Michael Bisping for the middleweight title in 2017. After the fight, “Rush” relinquished the title due to health issues. Soon afterwards, St-Pierre announced his retirement from MMA, and cited him not being able to reach an agreement with UFC for a fight with Khabib as one of the primary reasons behind his decision.
That said, Zahabi thinks a fight at either welterweight or lightweight can happen realistically.
“He’s older now, and life is good”, Zahabi said. “He’s found a social life, a balance in life of training and family and friends. To leave all that to do a 155 is a big cost in terms of sacrificing energy and preparation. He would have to prep six months to get to that. He would have to set it up to get done. 155 would be work. Is he going to work that much? I think that ship has sailed.
“I’m not talking for Georges. In my opinion he’ll only come back for a mega-fight. Like a mega-fight. No titles needed, either. Could be a title. I don’t think that’s really important to him. Like a mega-fight. Only those two names (Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor) that are the names big enough for him and enticing.”
Unlike the first time when he knew for sure that GSP would come back, Zahabi isn’t as confident this time around.
“My feeling that he’s going to come back is much lower”, Zahabi said. “However, I see him in practice all the time, and he’s training really well, and things are going really well. He hasn’t lost it. The man has not lost it. He’s still the greatest martial artist in the world. Right now. Today. He’s still the greatest.
“People might not know it, but I know it. Because I see it. Maybe he’s going to wake up one day, and he’s like, ‘I’m going to show them.’ It’s up to him. But I think also he loves to compete. But not as strong as it used to be.”
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