Tag: Georges St-Pierre

Gordon Ryan explains how Jon Jones is ‘on a different level’ with Georges St-Pierre

Grappling champion Gordon Ryan believes the greatness of Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre comes from a similar place.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Gordan Ryan[/autotag] praised UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]’ ability to learn, comparing him to a fellow all-time great.

Ryan spent some time training with Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) ahead of his scheduled first title defense against Stipe Miocic last month, which ended up getting canceled after Jones tore his pectoral muscle before UFC 295.

Ryan, a jiu-jitsu black belt and multiple-time grappling world champion, said Jones reminds him of UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag].

“With Jon, he’s very similar to GSP, to Georges in the sense that he’s not the world’s best wrestler, he’s not the best jiu-jitsu guy, he’s not the best striker,” Ryan told MMA Junkie and other reporters after Sunday’s UFC Fight Pass Invitational event. “But his ability to put it all together is just on a different level, even just grappling.

“Like, his ability to intuitively change his game plan from the start of the roll to the end of the roll or from round to round is incredibly impressive. So the most impressive thing obviously is his ability to put everything together, but his ability to adapt as the match goes on and change the game plan per what you’re doing, and I was very, very impressed with him. Just as a person and as an athlete all around.”

Jones’ title fight with former champion Miocic is expected to be rebooked after he returns from injury. In the meantime, Tom Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title when he knocked out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295.

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Georges St-Pierre shuts down Dana White superfight rumors: ‘I will not fight in the cage after the age of 40’

Georges St-Pierre assures everyone that, at 42, there’s zero chance he’s part of Dana White’s big plans for 2024.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] assures everyone that there’s zero chance he’s a part of UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag]’s big plans for 2024.

White teased his intentions of putting together a superfight next year, which had people speculating that former dual champion St-Pierre could be involved. St-Pierre, who has remained in great physical shape after retiring in 2017, quickly shut down that idea.

“Absolutely not,” St-Pierre told MMA Junkie and other reporters after Sunday’s UFC Fight Pass Invitational event. “I promise you, I always told myself that I will not fight in the cage after the age of 40. I don’t say I will never compete in any combat sport event, but a fight in a cage professionally in a serious thing for my legacy, I will not do it.”

St-Pierre was scheduled to compete at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas in a rumored grappling match against former foe Nick Diaz, but an injury forced him out. He ended up commentating the event instead.

While he won’t fight, St-Pierre is still interested in grappling as long as his shoulder fully recovers.

“I’m extremely competitive, and sometimes I forget that I’m 42, and I don’t give myself enough rest, and that’s why I think I partially tore my labrum, my subscap, and my rotator cuff,” St-Pierre said. “But my shoulder is getting better, and we’ll see how it goes.”

St-Pierre, a former longtime UFC welterweight champion, hasn’t competed in combat sports since he returned from a four-year layoff to claim the middleweight title from Michael Bisping in November 2017 at UFC 217.

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30 greatest UFC fighters of all time: The great Georges St-Pierre vs. Jon Jones GOAT debate

Agree or disagree with Georges St-Pierre edging Jon Jones for No. 1 on MMA Junkie’s list of the 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time?

The UFC’s 30th anniversary date has come and gone, and in the build-up to the milestone date, MMA Junkie counted down its 30 greatest fighters of all time to compete for the promotion.

There was plenty of debate about the entire list from top to bottom, but one of the biggest topics of discussion came at the top, where former two-division champion and UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] narrowly claimed the No. 1 spot over current heavyweight and former light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] at No. 2.

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The final list was tabulated through a points system after voting from MMA Junkie’s 12-person staff, with St-Pierre getting the nod over Jones by just 7 points overall.

That result was a major point of conversation on MMA Junkie’s special edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” where the majority of our staff came together to discuss and debate the finer points of the list, including St-Pierre’s position over Jones at the very top.

Check out the discussion in the video above, or watch the entire 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time podcast below.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time reaction show

Join us for a special edition of “Spinning Back Clique” as we discuss and debate our definitive ranking of the 30 greatest UFC fighters.

Join us today for a special edition of “Spinning Back Clique” with our entire staff as we react to our definitive ranking of the 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. The show starts at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) and will be live streamed on the MMA Junkie YouTube channel, which you can watch in the video above.

[autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] was revealed to be No. 1 on our countdown, with No. 2 [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag], No. 3 [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag], and No. 4 [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] rounding out our Mount Rushmore of UFC fighters. The conversation definitely won’t end there, though, as we have PLENTY to discuss and debate about our entire list, which you can view here.

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We also want to hear from you, the fans, about our list – whether you love it or hate it. Your comments from the chat could be part of the show.

Be sure to tune in!

MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time: Full list and videos

To commemorate the UFC’s 30th anniversary, this is our definitive list of the promotion’s 30 greatest fighters of all time.

To commemorate the UFC’s 30th anniversary, MMA Junkie has compiled its definitive list of the 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. We revealed one every day until the anniversary of UFC 1, which took place Nov. 12, 1993.

Our complete rankings, along with videos for each fighter, can be viewed below.

About the list: All 12 members of our staff submitted their own individual 30 greatest UFC fighters list. Each fighter was assigned a corresponding numerical value based on where they were ranked on an individual’s list, i.e. No. 1 = 30, No. 2 = 29, etc. We took those numbers and added them up to get a total number for each fighter to determine the composite ranking of MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time.

30 greatest UFC fighters of all time: Georges St-Pierre ranked No. 1

When considering the perfect example of a mixed martial artist both in and out of the UFC octagon, look no further than Georges St-Pierre.

The UFC is celebrating its 30th year and to commemorate the milestone, MMA Junkie has compiled its 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. We’ve revealed one every day until today, the anniversary of UFC 1 (Nov. 12, 1993), to reveal our top two.

Here, MMA Junkie reporter Farah Hannoun brings you No. 1: [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag].

You can watch Hannoun’s career retrospective on St-Pierre above; video produced by Abbey Subhan.

Also see:

About the list: All 12 members of our staff submitted their own individual 30 greatest UFC fighters list. Each fighter was assigned a corresponding numerical value based on where they were ranked on an individual’s list, i.e. No. 1 = 30, No. 2 = 29, etc. We took those numbers and added them up to get a total number for each fighter to determine the composite ranking of MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time.

Georges St-Pierre says injury will keep him from UFC Fight Pass Invitational grappling match vs. Nick Diaz

A rematch between former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz is not something people thought was in the cards.

According to [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag], the plan was for him to face [autotag]Nick Diaz[/autotag] in submission grappling at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational, but that is no more.

St-Pierre revealed the plan in an interview with TSN, adding that the no-gi jiu-jitsu match is now off for the Dec. 14 event in Las Vegas because of injuries to both men.

“They had an opponent. His name was Nick Diaz,” St-Pierre said. “People who are familiar with the sport know we (competed) against each other in mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, he’s hurt, I think. He has a neck injury, and I just got hurt myself, as well. I have a shoulder injury. So I have to wait a few weeks to see if I require surgery.”

Seeing St-Pierre, 42, and Diaz, 40, in a competition against each other would’ve been a treat for fight fans. Back in 2013, St-Pierre defended his welterweight title with a unanimous decision win over Diaz at UFC 158.

St-Pierre, a UFC Hall of Famer, hasn’t competed in combat sports since he returned from a four-year absence to claim the middleweight title from Michael Bisping in November 2017 at UFC 217.

Diaz, a former Strikeforce champion, last fought in September 2021 after a six-and-a-half-year layoff, losing by third-round TKO to Robbie Lawler at UFC 266.

It’s unclear if the match between GSP and Diaz will be made up at a later date.

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Charles Jourdain: Because I’m not like Georges St-Pierre, Canada ‘don’t give a sh*t about me’

Canada’s Charles Jourdain thinks his country comparing him to Georges St-Pierre is unfair.

LAS VEGAS – Canada’s [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag] thinks his country comparing him to [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] is unfair.

Like former UFC dual-champion and Hall of Famer St-Pierre, Jourdain (14-6-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC) hails from Quebec, Canada.

Jourdain has had mixed success in the octagon, but has always thrilled fans with exciting battles. However, the pressure from his country’s constant comparison to St-Pierre has weighed on him, since he sees those expectations as simply unrealistic.

“Because I’m not like Georges, they don’t give a sh*t about me,” Jourdain told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 228 media day. “And it – not pisses me off, because I learned to live with it, but I’m like, ‘Man, there’s never going to be another Georges.’ And Georges set the bar so high for us. Sometimes I watch on UFC Canada and it’s like, ‘He’s good, but he’s never going to be Georges.’

“I’m like, ‘Yeah, no sh*t.’ No one’s going to be Georges. It f*cking hurts to see that because come on, you need to think deeper than that. Like, of course I’m not going to be the greatest fighter of all time. But I’m representing your flag at the end of the day, which I’m happy about. It makes me laugh. It’s OK. I wish more people were interested in it, but it’s OK. It’s their choice. They can watch hockey.”

After snapping a two-fight losing skid against Kron Gracie at UFC 288 in May, Jourdain will face Ricardo Ramos (16-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 228 main card opener at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 228.

Luke Rockhold wants Georges St-Pierre grappling match: ‘I’ll go straight for your neck’

Luke Rockhold is throwing his name into consideration to be Georges St-Pierre’s opponent for his upcoming grappling match.

[autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] is throwing his name into consideration to be [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag]’s opponent for his upcoming grappling match.

Rockhold is keen to compete in grappling competition after he parted ways with the UFC this past year and ventured into the world of BKFC and suffered a loss to Mike Perry. He caught wind of former two-division UFC champ St-Pierre’s plans to return at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational on Dec. 14, and Rockhold is all about it.

“Georges St-Pierre wants to go, I would go with Georges in a heartbeat,” Rockhold told MMA Junkie in an interview facilitated by his partners at OnlyFans. “But, if he’s smart, probably not. I’m too big and too good for him.”

Rockhold, 38, said the only potential roadblock in the way of a clash with St-Pierre, 42, would be the weight. He’s the larger man, no question, but both men are former UFC titleholders at 185 pounds.

That would have to be the rough weight if they were to share the mats, Rockhold said.

“I’m not going down below 185 pounds,” Rockhold said. “Grappling, I wouldn’t go below 190. If Georges wants to go I will meet him 190 pounds any day of the week. I’d love to do it.”

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Rockhold said he would not be picky as to the ruleset for a grappling match with St-Pierre. No matter what format the contest took place under, Rockhold said he would be looking to end it definitively.

“I’ll go straight for your neck,” Rockhold said. “Straight at you. I don’t hold back or any way of fighting. I’m going to come for you.”

Javier Mendez: Khabib Nurmagomedov unlikely to grapple Georges St-Pierre, devoting more time to family

As much as fans may want to see it, Javier Mendez doesn’t think Khabib Nurmagomedov will end up grappling Georges St-Pierre.

Javier Mendez doesn’t think [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] will end up grappling fellow UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag].

St-Pierre will take part in a UFC Fight Pass Invitational no-gi jiu-jitsu match Dec. 14, but is yet to draw an opponent. People are salivating at the idea of St-Pierre vs. Nurmagomedov, but Mendez said Nurmagomedov vowed to spend more time with his family. Although it would just be a grappling match as opposed to a fight, Mendez knows “The Eagle” takes every challenge seriously, so it would occupy plenty of his time.

“I don’t know if Khabib would do the competition because he stated that his family is what it’s all about,” Mendez told MMA Junkie in an interview set up by SafeBettingSites.com. “More devoted time for the family and knowing him, any challenge is a work. So he’s going to have to stay focused on one particular thing.

“He’s not going to take it lightly if he does. So, I don’t see that happening, but I could be wrong. I never spoke to him about it, if it’s any interest to him. But in my opinion, there is no better match to make than that one.”

Mendez said although Nurmagomedov is retired, he’s still active on the mats and would be more than capable of competing.

“I think it might be of interest to him because Khabib is always training,” Mendez said. “It’s not like he doesn’t grapple. He grapples all the time. So, he hasn’t stopped training, he just doesn’t train to fight. But he still does his cardio, he still grapples with the guys, because he always tells me, ‘How are the guys going to get ready for my level if they never know my level?’

“So, he grapples with the up-and-coming guys all the time. That’s why when you see all the guys that I train that are team Khabib, that’s why their ground is so darn good because they have Khabib who had his father train him on how to keep their grappling up and Khabib does that.”

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