Georges St-Pierre: I miss winning, but I don’t miss fighting

By Adam D Martin - January 10, 2021

UFC legend Georges St-Pierre says that he misses the feeling of winning, but he admits that he doesn’t miss the actual fighting part of it.

Georges St-Pierre, Chael Sonnen

GSP is one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time and was one of the UFC’s greatest champions for the better part of a decade. GSP was both the UFC welterweight champion and the UFC middleweight champion before finally calling it quits a few years ago. Due to COVID-19, his UFC Hall of Fame enshrinement was delayed, but he will be inducted into the promotion’s HOF in the coming weeks.

Speaking to UFC.com, GSP was asked about his love-and-hate affair with fighting. “Rush” admitted that he misses the feeling of winning and he misses the reward for winning his fights, but he also says that he doesn’t miss fighting because of the stress it caused him. Check out what the legend said ahead of his HOF induction.

“I never liked to fight, and I’m not lying when I say it. I never enjoyed my time in the Octagon, never a second. I did it because I loved to win, I loved the benefits of it, and I loved the freedom. Back then, I was young, there was the money, the girls, the fame, the access to things nobody had. It was the freedom, that’s why I did it. I never did it because I loved to compete and fight. I hated it to the highest level. It’s so stressful that it was unbearable for me,” GSP said. “However, I loved the rewards. The greater the risk, the bigger the reward, and that’s why I did it, and I was very good at it and I took advantage of it. Now, I miss the rewards, I miss the feeling of winning. But I don’t miss the feeling of fighting, not even a second.”

While St. Pierre is a retired fighter, there have been rumors that UFC president Dana White may try to coax him out of retirement for a superfight with Khabib Nurmagomedov. That fight won’t be happening anytime soon, especially in light of these comments from GSP. But that likely won’t stop White from trying to get Nurmagomedov the superfight he craves with GSP. In the meantime, the legend continues to train and stay fit in retirement, meaning fans will always wonder.

Do you think we will ever see Georges St-Pierre fight in the Octagon again?