Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has signaled he might return to competition, but fans shouldn’t expect to see him in the octagon anytime soon.
“I had shoulder surgery and am trying to get back to 100%,” St-Pierre said in a recent interview. “I would never fight again in mixed martial arts to prove I’m the strongest man-that’s over. But for a special event, maybe a charity, something fun like grappling where the risk of injury is minimized-I still like to compete, but for different reasons. I don’t close the door on that.”
The Canadian legend, widely considered one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, appears interested in grappling competitions specifically, particularly if connected to charitable causes.
This revelation comes amid interesting developments regarding another potential high-profile grappling match. Australian BJJ black belt Craig Jones previously claimed that Khabib Nurmagomedov, another retired UFC champion who has expressed mutual respect for St-Pierre, reportedly asked for $5 million for a grappling match against GSP.
“I was with the [UFC] Fight Pass guys, and they were trying to ask me for opponents for ‘GSP,’ for ideas… I remember I said Khabib, and I think they said Khabib wanted $5 million to do the grappling match. I was like, ‘Woah!’ Obviously that’s priced himself out there,” Jones stated on his podcast.
However, Khabib’s longtime manager, Rizvan Magomedov, quickly refuted these claims in a statement to Russian news agency TASS.
“They proposed to hold a fight, but the conversation didn’t even reach the amounts,” Magomedov explained. “They didn’t even discuss, they didn’t ask what amount and price. They asked if there was a desire or not. Then it was all over. And where did Craig Jones get the figure about 5 million, maybe his grandmother whispered these numbers to him. It looks funny.”
While a potential grappling showdown between St-Pierre and Nurmagomedov would undoubtedly generate significant interest among combat sports enthusiasts, St-Pierre’s comments suggest his motivation has evolved. Rather than seeking to prove dominance, the 42-year-old now appears more interested in competition for enjoyment and supporting meaningful causes.
At one point UFC invitational had GSP vs Nick Diaz grappling match booked but even that seems far fetched at the moment.
As St-Pierre continues his recovery from shoulder surgery, fans of the Canadian superstar can hold onto hope that they might see him showcase his legendary skills once more—even if in a different competitive format than the one where he built his storied legacy.
