UFC Champ GSP Gets Schooled in Japan (Video)
Georges St-Pierre goes to school in spiritual home of martial arts
While in Tokyo, Japan for this Saturday’s UFC 144 super-card, martial arts aficionado Georges St-Pierre took the opportunity to train in the birthplace of hand-to-hand combat.
The reigning UFC welterweight champion, who has always considered himself a martial artist first and foremost, takes instruction on how to use a katana (traditional Japanese curved sword) from children from the Kawai Kindergarden School in Tokyo.
‘GSP’ – who has mastered so many martial arts and added them to his Octagon skillset – was taken to school by the kids when it came to Kenjutsu.
“In school in Canada, we play hockey,” said St-Pierre. “I always wanted to be a Samurai when I was a kid, but those kids hit me pretty hard.”
St-Pierre fared much better when he visited the Kyokushin Karate school. The champ took an appreciative class through a series of katas (Japanese for ‘form’, practicing individual techniques) and was clearly very excited to be at the birthplace of the ancient martial art.
“Karate was the first martial art I was every taught,” he said. “It is an honor to be here where it started. For me, karate will always be a very important part of me. It is not just a fighting style, it is a way of life.”
GSP, along with UFC President Dana White also exchanged gifts with Saitama City Mayor Hayato Shimizu during a visit to Saitama City Hall.
Read More: GSP (News), UFC, Injured Fighters
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Such a humble and nice guy
so a recent article says he doesn’t care about fighting future he just want to heal up. this is helping for sure
Hit his knee so BJ can win the belt again!
I dislike Gsp’s boring yet effective wrestling, but I have to respect his humility and kindness. He seems like a good guy
“While in Tokyo, Japan for this Saturday’s UFC 144 super-card, martial arts aficionado Georges St-Pierre took the opportunity to train in the birthplace of hand-to-hand combat.”
Birthplace of hand to hand combat? Japan? No.. just No.
Many arts traditionally considered ‘western’ such as wrestling, are far older than anything to come out of Japan.
Pankration, one of the oldest combat sports to date was opinionated in Greece.
gr8 guy, really cant understand how people can hate on this guy
I don’t think people hate GSP as a person. Just his lay and pray fighting style. It’s very boring to watch.
boring to the fans who want an all out blood sport type brawl. The fans who appreciate all aspects of “MIXED MARTIAL ARTS” (like me) respect him very much.
Hmm guess GSP is use to tapping to ‘strikes’!!! LOL
Haha I was thinking that but didn’t want to be mean lol
Yeah Man! And not answering to the fifth round in a title fight!!! OH! My bad… That was BJ Penn…
I remember Karate…man I hated Katas.
That looked like my kids beating me with the nerf swords! At least he had a helmet. He was tapping too, and they were paying no attention to that.
awwww….
fans used to love the old GSP, but ever since matt seirra beat him. He fights a safe fight. which are boring as hell. what he doesnt realize is that you can still keep a belt by finishing your compettitor, just ask Bones Jones.
But he finished Serra… And BJ… He’s not fighting to his full potential and still ruins the careers of anyone he fights, after a GSP fight guys never seem the same again (Except BJ but that’s cuz he’s a true warrior) WAR PENN WAR GEORGES!!
There is no such thing as a “safe” fight. Anyone who says so does not do BJJ, Box, wrestled, or kick box(which is now 80% of mma fans)
You get in there with an opponent who wants to take you out. You do what it takes based on his skillset and how you can use your tools against his.
It’s been the same thing with all the Condit haters. If I’m going to fight a dude like Diaz with a reach, crazy jaw, and personality disorder(kidding)….I’m not going to just sit there like all those other dopes. I’m going to move around and make Nick move with me because he has shitty lateral movement.
Not everyone is a Randy C kid of athlete. You have a small window of opportunity and if you want to do at 100%, you fight smart.
no such thing as a safe fight, then what the **** do you call lay and pray. Nobody’s asking for a brawl but if your throwing a kick, punch or elbow to score a point and not hurt your challenger your in the wrong sport because more than lilely the other guy is trying to take your ****ing head off or put you to sleep.
a smart fight is finish the other guy as quick as possible without taking damage. whether it be by ko, tko or submission.
Great video! GSP is a great ambassodor of traditional Karate.
your da man Georges!
funny because the only fight GSP L&P’d in his last 8 fights was dan hardy, a one dimensional fighter and a fight GSP was coming off a 1year layoff.
what fights did he L&P really?
shields – no
kos 2 – no
hardy – yes 1 year layoff
alves – 1-3 no 4-5 sort of torn muscle wasnt a good fight
penn – no pounded his face in
fitch – no pounded his face in
serra 2 – pounded his face in
huges 3 – headkick finished with armbar
hard to spew crap when you actually objectively look at things isnt it? Does GSP fight smart? absolutely nothing wrong with that he has everything to lose and nothing to gain.
Amen brother 70% of MMA fans are just haters, He got his abductor messed up against Alves and eye gouged by Shields and never once gave up and his L&P on Hardy had plenty of submission attempts but Ring Rust got to him