GSP Names His Favourite Current Fighter

If Georges ‘Rush’ St-Pierre is not your favourite fighter, there is a good chance that he is your favourite fighter’s favourite fighter. Chael Sonnen Chael Sonnen recently made a bold statement concerning GSP’s uncontested status as the pound-for-pound greatest fighter of all time.

“If you ever do a pound-for-pound list and you don’t put GSP at number one…in large part, you and I are now done talking because I have lost respect for your opinion and you’ve lost credibility.”

But who is the GOAT’s favourite fighters? Speaking with South China Morning Post, St-Pierre spoke of the sport from his perspective as a fan of mixed martial arts, which was in equal parts, fascinating and refreshing.

“I don’t watch all the fights but I watch some of my favourite fighters. I’m still big fan,” GSP stated.

When asked to elaborate on the fighters who excite him and garner his interest, St-Pierre centred out Israel Adesanya, Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier, Dominick Cruz, Jon Jones, and Francis Ngannou .

“And the top welterweights, like [Kamaru] Usman and Colby Covington,” ‘Rush’ explained, admitting that he is prone to the sensationalism and trash-talk of the McGregor era. “I like to watch the guys who create a lot of drama and tension. Even though I am not like that, I like to watch it just for the fun of it. It makes the build-up to the fight fun.

“It’s amazing. Look at the welterweights. There are so many guys. The sport has improved and it will continue to improve. In ten years from now it will be even better than it is now.”

One can only assume that GSP watched Gilbert Burns pick apart Tyron Woodley at UFC Vegas this past weekend with great interest. The Brazilian’s dominant display showed the current depth of the division that St-Pierre reigned supreme for a decade.

GSP explained further that he has immense respect for the fighters who have built what he termed a “Fighter’s CV” and show a high capacity for creativity in the cage. St-Pierre named Henry Cejudo as a particular example of a fighter with an impressive ‘CV.’

“Look what he achieved, from Olympic gold to Golden Glove [boxing], then two belts [flyweight and bantamweight] in the UFC. Cejudo and guys like Jon Jones, they are creative, and that’s what’s great about this sport.”

But of all the up-and-coming superstars in the sport, it is Israel Adesanya’s unique blend of striking acumen, swagger, and creativity that piques the interest of GSP. In fact, ‘Rush’ went so far as to compare ‘The Last Stylebender’ to boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard.

“I’d watched a little bit of his kickboxing and he’s a fantastic striker,” said St-Pierre of Adesanya. “He’s incredible. He’s a clever guy and the way he fights is very smart. I like his style. I was a big fan of Sugar Ray Leonard in boxing for the same reasons. Just a very smart guy.

“Some guys have the one-shot power that can kill someone. Some guys have the athletic ability and are smart. I like the guys that are smart. They are athletic but the brain is the most important part of their game.

“It’s like Bruce Lee said, to be a complete martial artist, one style is not enough, you have to have everything and that’s the type of fight I like to watch.”

While St-Pierre appears to be a fan of the sport in general and many fighters in particular, it’s Israel Adesanya who seems to have received the kindest words and most generous comparisons from GSP.

Do you think we’ll ever see Georges St-Pierre fight again?


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