Transcript Of Exclusive Georges St. Pierre Interview

Spike Shooter drink presents Georges St. Pierre in the New York City area from Feb. 15-18. Fans interested in meeting the champ, dates/times/locations are available below the interview.


Georges “Rush” St. Pierre is the current UFC Welterweight champion and has compiled a 13-1 professional record in his five years as a MMA fighter.

“GSP” will be defending his title for the first time against the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 4, Matt Serra (7-4), in Houston on April 7th in the main event of UFC 69 “Shootout”. The fight was originally scheduled for this past weekend, but was delayed due to a St. Pierre injury.

MMANews.com's own Luis Cruz recently spoke with the UFC champ for over twenty minutes to discuss his injury, upcoming bout with Serra – among a heap of other topics. Below is a complete transcript of the discussion.

Luis Cruz for MMANews.com: This is Luis Cruz of MMANews.com. I'm joined with current UFC Welterweight champion and one of the, if not the best pound for pound fighter in the UFC, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre. How you doing, Georges?

Georges St. Pierre: I'm doing very good [starts laughing] thank you for this amazing introduction [laughs].

MMANews.com: [laughing] It's the truth buddy, it's the truth. Alright first, thank you for taking time to talk to me. I really appreciate it.

Georges St. Pierre: It's always a pleasure, my friend.

MMANews.com: First of all how are you feeling? Are you fully healed?

Georges St. Pierre: Umm, no I'm almost. I would say I'm maybe 90 percent right now. The reason why I'm in [Las] Vegas is because I was cornering one of my teammates and training partner, but I stay until Wednesday because I see a guy. He works on an energy point, you know? And uhh, he healed people. Actually he already healed me when I got injured before, when I pulled my groin. It was supposed to be, the doctor told me it was supposed to be, to take, three months and he healed me in two weeks. So this guy is pretty amazing, you know? And I never believe it before I see it but it's really working.

MMANews.com: Now what exactly does he do? I think I know who you're talking about.

Georges St. Pierre: He's doing ..it's like a mix of reflexology and he's like an osteopath in the same time, you know? It's like he works on energy points. You know what I'm saying? Like for example …I don't understand what he do exactly. For example, in my case, I tore my MCL and my PCL. So he works on my energy point and he made the energy flow on my body and it's help me to heal very fast. [laughing] I know it sounds crazy but I am not crazy at all. I never believe in that before but it's actually working very well for myself so I keep doing it, you know?

MMANews.com: Actually, I believe I know exactly who you're talking about. I just read an article on him not too long ago.

Georges St. Pierre: Yeah, he's a very famous guy he heals a lot of fighters. He healed Matt Hughes, Randy Couture – a lot of guys.

MMANews.com: I actually think I'm going to be talking to him in the near future. I was setting something up with him because like you said, a lot of the fighters praise this guy so I actually want to check him out myself. I'm going to Vegas in a couple of weeks, but…

Georges St. Pierre: He's very well known in the business. He heals a lot of athletes. Not only fighters, you know, he heals a lot of athletes.

MMANews.com: Alright Georges. Now, originally you were supposed to be defending the title in Canada. How disappointed were you when those plans changed?

Georges St. Pierre: Well for sure my dream is ..you know one day I'd like to fight in front of my fans, for sure. But you know what? I don't really care. I like fighting in the U.S. The U.S. fans give me a lot of support and it's all the same for me.

MMANews.com: Alright, I'm going to rewind a little bit back to your Matt Hughes fight [the rematch]. What made that fight so easy for you? Was it the fact that he just tried to stand with you the whole time?

Georges St. Pierre: Well he didn't try to stand. People misunderstood what he tried to do. What he tried to do, he tried to make me believe that he wanted to stand and then he tried to shoot. He tried to put me down a couple times in the fight but what I did is when he tried to make me believe that he wanted to strike with me, I strike with him, but as soon as I felt he tried to close the distance and put me on my back I adjust myself – I switch my tactic a little bit, you know? So I use a lot, my jab, and everytime we were in the tie up I just break the – down the – position, you know?

MMANews.com: Ok, well from a fan point of view watching it, it looked like he was actually pretty confident that he could stand with you in the beginning. And I know he did try for a couple of takedowns later, I just figured that he got frustrated.

Georges St. Pierre: He tried …because the thing is, if he would try right away for the takedown it would never work, you know? Because when you want to put a guy on the mat at this level, you know? It's the same thing for me when I fight, I want to put somebody on the mat I need to surprise them. If you go right away for the takedown it's like you telegraphed your shot, you know? So when you want to put somebody on the ground you need to try and make them believe you want to strike, and then after you can go for it, you know?

MMANews.com: Right.

Georges St. Pierre: So that's what he tried to do. But I knew his real goal was to try and put me on my back.

MMANews.com: Alright and at what point in that fight did you know you had it won?

Georges St. Pierre: Uhh I never …I mean for me it's not finished until it's finished. I never thought …I was never a hundred percent sure I was going to fin until it was finished. I never had that feeling in my …I knew it was going very well for me, but I never thought for sure that I was going to win. I was always on the toes, always careful.

MMANews.com: That's understandable. Do you see a rematch playing out any differently?

Georges St. Pierre: For sure. Well, Matt Hughes will adjust himself, of course and I will have to adjust myself in consequences of his adjustment. You know what I'm saying? So I …well you know when you play cards you don't show your hand but for sure when I'm gonna fight him next I'm gonna have a special strategy for that.

MMANews.com: Ok, now that was a great win obviously. Very, very impressive performance. Now I'm going to switch gears here real quick. Your friend and training partner David Loiseau actually has a real tough fight coming up this Saturday. Have you trained with him at all recently for this fight and will you be cornering him?

Georges St. Pierre: No, I won't but the problem is I got hurt. I hurt my knee so I couldn't train with him for that fight, unfortunately. But David is very well prepared. He went in California and trained with Rob Kamen and ..uhh, I think ..

MMANews.com: Brandon Vera.

Georges St. Pierre: Brandon Vera, exactly. So I think he's going to be very well prepared for that fight.

MMANews.com: Ok.

Georges St. Pierre: And as a matter of fact he's fighting Joey Villasenor. Joey Villasenor is a good guy you know? He helped me trained when I was preparing myself for Matt Hughes so I really like that guy too, you know? But for sure David is my long time friend you know? I really like him but I like both guys, you know?

MMANews.com: I actually didn't know that one. That's pretty interesting.

Georges St. Pierre: David is like a really personal friend. For sure I like David he is my friend. But I still like Joey, he's a good guy and great athlete, you know?

MMANews.com: Right, that should be a great fight. Now, what are your thoughts on UFC letting Loiseau go after his two losses?

Georges St. Pierre: I think he's gonna come back stronger. He did a couple adjustments in his training and in his life and I think it's gonna pay off this time.

MMANews.com: Now the Ultimate Fighter season four Middleweight winner was Travis Lutter. He kind of blew his opportunity at his title shot this past weekend – he didn't even make weight. What was your thoughts on him not making weight, what was your reaction?

Georges St. Pierre: I was surprised, you know? Because ..I don't know. I don't really know Travis that much. I can't judge him but maybe something happened to him. Maybe we don't know the whole story, you know? I think Travis might be …you know when you reach that point you have to be very professional. Maybe there's a bad …maybe something bad, or a bad circumstance happened to him. I don't really know what's happened to him. I hope it doesn't effect his performance you know?

MMANews.com: Actually what did you think about his performance in that fight, aside from that, that he didn't make weight?

Georges St. Pierre: Well I think he did very well and I think he almost beat Anderson Silva at one point. From what I saw, he went ..like Anderson gave him that turning point in the fight I think is when he got that mount position. Anderson tried to give him the arm and like, Travis hesitate, he took the arm but he hesitate too much so Anderson escaped. So he should go for the arm one hundred percent, or if he would keep the mount or go for the arm, like really go for it a hundred percent, he would beat Anderson. I think it was a turning point in the fight.

MMANews.com: That was. I think a lot of people thought that fight was gonna end, when he was in that mount. He was throwing some heavy blows but Anderson hung on and managed to escape. A good performance by Silva actually. You have the other Ultimate Fighter winner, Matt Serra coming up at UFC 69. I believe that's April 7th right? Is that correct?


“Absolutely, I will move to Middleweight.” – Georges St. Pierre

Georges St. Pierre: Yes, absolutely. In Houston.

MMANews.com: Ok. Now Serra obviously shouldn't have that problem, making the 170 pound limit because he's obviously naturally a Lightweight – where we usually see him fight. What do you expect from him in this fight and does it hurt you at all that you helped train him, at least on the show [Ultimate Fighter]?

Georges St. Pierre: Uhh, Matt is a really good accomplice but he's not my friend and …umm if he would be my friend, I would never fight a friend. I will not have any problems to let my punches go against him. I like the guy but it's just business.

MMANews.com: Does he bring anything into this fight that has you worried?

Georges St. Pierre: Yeah, of course. He's very very good on the ground with submissions and he hits very hard. He almost knocked out Karo Parisyan so I'm going to have to be very powerful ..and very hard otherwise it's gonna be a bad night for me.

MMANews.com: I was just wondering if you were heavily concerned with his ground game. You have a pretty big size advantage. You're 5'11'' and he's about 5'6'', I believe…

Georges St. Pierre: Yeah, exactly but you don't know what's gonna happen, you know? Mike Tyson was a very short guy in boxing but he would always knock his opponent out so that doesn't mean nothing. If he can get inside, he can find a way to get me hit and cut me right on the chin so I have to stay very focused.

MMANews.com: Of course. Now, how do you see the fight ending?

Georges St. Pierre: In a decision. I always see my fights [with me] winning decision, so I expect the worst so that if I can finish my opponent, I take it, you know? But I don't go for the finish. For sure if I have a chance to finish him I will. But I don't blind myself saying I'm going to beat my opponent in the first round.

MMANews.com: Ok, that's cool. Now if you retain the title in this fight, what do you see next yourself? You think they're going to give you the rematch with Matt Hughes or possibly the winner of the new Diego Sanchez versus Josh Koscheck fight on the undercard [of UFC 69]?

Georges St. Pierre: Well I don't know. I mean, I'm just up to the challenge. I'm the champion right now, I can't decide who comes at me – I'm just there to defend my title. I'm the target and I'm ready to fight anybody.

MMANews.com: Now real quick about the Diego Sanchez versus Josh Koscheck fight, that's a big fight in itself. It's on the undercard of your main event – what are your thoughts on that fight? How do you see that fight going?

Georges St. Pierre: I don't know, it's going to be very interesting. In my mind it's like 50/50. Both guys got all the tools to beat each other. I think it's gonna be the guy who gonna come with the best game plan and is gonna be able to execute it is gonna win, you know?

MMANews.com: Now who do you see as a bigger threat for you, style-wise?

Georges St. Pierre: Who? What do you say. My english – sometimes it cause me problems. Sorry, can you repeat please?

MMANews.com: That's alright. Who do you think's style, as far as the way that they fight. Who do you think poses a bigger threat for you – Diego Sanchez or Koscheck?

Georges St. Pierre: You mean who gonna cause me more problem?

MMANews.com: Yes, who would cause you more problems because of the way they fight?

Georges St. Pierre: I don't see ..I mean both fighters can cause me a lot of problem. But my strength is that I can adjust myself. I'm very well rounded so I can adjust myself to every kind of fighter. So I don't ..one or the other one, I see them as very hard and tough potential opponents but I truly believe I can adjust myself to both of them.

MMANews.com: Ok. Now how much longer, you're still very young – but how much longer do you see yourself fighting?

Georges St. Pierre: I see myself fighting as long as I wake up in the morning – I like my job. If one day I wake up in the morning I feel like it doesn't wanna fight no more ..I will take my retire.

MMANews.com: Ok. Let's say you dominate the Welterweight division for like two years. Would you ever consider a move to Middleweight?

Georges St. Pierre: Absolutely. I will move to Middleweight when it's going to be time if I beat up most of my contender I will do it and I will go for the title, just if – for example if the title is not one of my training partner or a friend because otherwise I would never fight a friend. And if I beat the guy at Middleweight I want to go up and try to earn the Light Heavyweight title. That's what I want to do. That's my plan. I want to make my mark in this sport and that's my goal. Before I start fighting in MMA, people used to say I was crazy because I was not strong enough to fight in MMA. Then I fought in MMA and after that when I was in TKO fighting in Canada, other people used to tell me, “oh you will never go in UFC it's too big, those guys are too good” and I went in UFC. Then after, people used to told me that I would never be champion and then I became a champion. So now because I reach my goals and I'm a champion I need to challenge myself by trying to reach other higher goals so that's one of my other goals right now – to try and get a couple titles, you know? Because when you reach a certain level and you don't have nothing to challenge yourself, not me I challenge myself all the time. There's a lot of good contender, but I need to find a way to keep my motivation going and try to find a way to reach something higher. That's what I do, that's what I want to do, so. It's gonna happen, but it depend what is the scenerio, you know what I'm saying?

MMANews.com: Oh 205 would just be insane. What weight do you walk around at?

Georges St. Pierre: I walk around at 185. But if I have to fight, for example, in a higher weight class – I'm going to have a program. A weight program. I'm going to lift weights, I'm going to find a way to get a little bit bigger. I would never be able to be as big as, for example, Chuck Liddell because first I don't want to take steroids and stuff like that. I'm always natural and I hate like …I know a lot of people use that, but me I'm not that kind of guy. I prefer to stay healthy all my life than having a title. You know what I'm saying because nothing can buy health. So I will find a way to do it and I'm up to the challenge.

MMANews.com: I would definitely look forward to seeing it. That's interesting.

Georges St. Pierre: That's in a long time, I'm saying. That's my goal but it's in a long time and people might think that I'm crazy but if I have a chance I will go for it, you know?

MMANews.com: That's good to hear man. Long term plans. I'd like to see you at Middleweight and…

Georges St. Pierre: B.J. Penn did it [moved up multiple weight classes] and now it's my goal, you know?

MMANews.com: That's right, yeah. B.J. started at 155 and he went all the way up there to fight [Ryoto] Machida.

Georges St. Pierre: Yeah.

MMANews.com: Alright, I'm gonna throw out a little word association with you. I'm gonna throw you a name and you just tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. The first one is Dana White.

Georges St. Pierre: Dana White is umm, uhh [laughs] you wanted…what did you want me to say?

MMANews.com: The first thing that comes to your mind. An honest answer of, you know, whatever pops into your head.

Georges St. Pierre: Oh, Dana White he's a good man for me. He pays all my treatment and medical caring, so he's a good man.

MMANews.com: Matt Hughes.

Georges St. Pierre: Matt Hughes is a good competitor.

MMANews.com: Matt Serra.

Georges St. Pierre: Matt Serra, he's a good jiu jitsu guy. A good grappler.

MMANews.com: David Loiseau.

Georges St. Pierre: Loiseau's a good friend.

MMANews.com: Diego Sanchez.

Georges St. Pierre: Diego Sanchez is a good potential opponent.

MMANews.com: Mirko “CroCop” Filipovic.

Georges St. Pierre: Mirko CroCop, I see a powerful head kick [laughs].

MMANews.com: [laughing] and finally, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre.

Georges St. Pierre: Georges St. Pierre, ahh I see a good athlete with a good sportmanship, a good heart. That's what I try to be, you know?

MMANews.com: Alright and this final segment is “Get 2 Know – Georges”. It's three random questions unrelated to MMA. The first one is, without MMA involved – if you could plan a perfect day for yourself, what would it be?

Georges St. Pierre: A date?

MMANews.com: A day. Just a normal day. Just a perfectly planned day without mixed-martial arts involved.

Georges St. Pierre: Ok, you mean what I would do for a living or if I would not be a mixed-martial artist?

MMANews.com: No, just like time away from fighting. What would you do?

Georges St. Pierre: Well, I wake up I'm in vacation. I wake up, I go take a breakfast on the beach and I spend the whole day swimming in the beach and hanging there in the sand with my friends and people that I like and that I love. I eat all day at the beach, I drink alcohol [laughs] and then at night I go at club and having fun with my friends. That's a perfect day for me.

MMANews.com: Since you brought it up, what's your favorite drink? Alcoholic.

Georges St. Pierre: It's a pina coloda-version. Like I'm not a big alcohol drinker, you know what I'm saying? When it's time to party, I party – you know? When it's time to be serious – I'm serious, you know?

MMANews.com: So you get the pina coloda with the umbrella [laughs]?

Georges St. Pierre: Absolutely [laughs].

MMANews.com: Alright, tell us something that most people don't know or wouldn't guess about you. Again, not MMA related.

Georges St. Pierre: People think about me, it makes me laugh sometimes. People think because I'm nice to everybody people think that I grew up with a rich family and I had a very easy life, but they're wrong. They really don't know where I'm from, you know?

MMANews.com: Actually it could be quite the opposite, no? Like if you grew up with money it could have like reverse effect – being mannerly.

Georges St. Pierre: Absolutely, because I have good manners and I'm nice to everybody but it's not always been like that, you know? I had a hard time in my life before and now it's gone but I really enjoy what I live with now.

MMANews.com: Alright and the final question I got for you is – outside of MMA, what's the most embarassing thing that ever happened to you?

Georges St. Pierre: The most embarassing thing is when I misunderstood what Matt Hughes said in the octagon after he fought B.J. Penn. I thought he was insulting me, and then I went up [starts laughing] because Dana and all the UFC guys called me to go in the ring and they said “hey – come, come, come!” So I thought he was insulting me and I went to Matt Hughes and said “I'm glad you won, but I'm not impressed by your performance”, you know? So it was the most embarassing moment of my career, you know?

MMANews.com: [laughing] I don't know, I don't know why people made such a big deal about that. I didn't have a problem with it.

Georges St. Pierre: It was out of character for me, you know?

MMANews.com: It was. It definitely caught people by surprise [laughing] including myself. But I don't know, I thought it helped build the fight.

Georges St. Pierre: Yeah.

MMANews.com: Alright Georges, I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to us.

Georges St. Pierre: No problem, thank you guys.

You can listen to the audio of the above interview by CLICKING HERE or typing https://www.mmanews.com/audio/georgesstpierre1.mp3 into your preferred media player.


GSP Appearance Info

Fans in the New York City area interested in meeting the Georges St. Pierre in person and getting his autograph, check him out when he comes to your town. Below are the dates and times of his scheduled appearances:

Thursday ~ 2/15
GNC ~ Herald Square, 12-3pm
1350 BROADWAY NEW YORK, NY 10018
212-279-2820

Friday ~ 2/16
GNC ~ Quaker Bridge Mall, 12-3pm
RT 1 & QUAKER BRIDGE ROAD LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ 08648
609 799 9801

GNC ~ Menlo Park, 5:30-8pm 329
MENLO PARK EDISON, NJ 08837
732-603-8288

Saturday ~ 2/17
GNC ~ Sunrise Mall, 12-3pm
217 SUNRISE HWY
MASSAGPEQUA, NY 11758
516-798-8796

GNC ~ Roosevelt Field, 5:30-8pm
630 OLD COUNTRY RD GARDEN CITY, NY 11530
516-294-8398

Sunday ~ 2/18
GNC ~ Willowbrook, 12-3:30pm
1524 WILLO WBROOK MALL
WAYNE, NJ 07470
973-785-9704

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