Georges St-Pierre explained why he never enjoyed fighting despite being considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. He reflected on the stress and anxiety he dealt with ahead of fights, offering a glimpse into his mindset.
St-Pierre, a former two-division UFC champion and Hall of Famer, was dominant in his prime. He still holds the record for most consecutive successful welterweight title defenses in UFC history. His only losses came against Matt Hughes and Matt Serra, both of whom he later avenged decisively.
While ‘Rush’ reached the pinnacle of the sport and had a legendary career, he still dealt with the pressure of being a fighter. Whether it involved back-and-forth exchanges during a press conference or absorbing damage inside the octagon, St-Pierre experienced it all.
St-Pierre’s candid reflection proves that even the best fighters go through periods of self doubt.
Georges St-Pierre Explains Why He Hated Fighting
Georges St-Pierre explained what he went through ahead of his fights. He noted that he feared the possibility of preparing extensively only to suffer an embarrassing defeat.
“I never really liked fighting. First, you can get hurt, but also it’s heartbreaking. It’s like you have done all this for ending up losing. The feeling is terrible,” St-Pierre told Demetrious Johnson during an episode of Mighty Journey. “But the winning [is the highest high]. When you’re win, you feel like all that sacrifice was worth it.”
While St-Pierre did not enjoy fighting, he did enjoy training and spending time with his teammates.
“I like to go to the gym and have the freedom to do whatever the hell I want, but the price to pay is that is you have to be ready on the day that you gotta fight. That’s what sucks about it.”
St-Pierre Opens Up on His Mentality During His Career
St-Pierre also opened about his mentality during his career and revealed that he was driven to succeed.
The former two-division UFC champion noted that he was goal-oriented. However, he no longer has the same hunger because he has accomplished everything in fighting.
“I was insane. Like, I was ready to do anything to achieve my goal. I was a freaking psychopath, I was driven like crazy, I couldn’t take no for an answer. Now that person is gone. I don’t have the same hunger anymore,” St-Pierre said. “You need that pride and ego when you want to be champion because that’s what holds you up against adversity but at the same time, when you retire, you need to let go of it because it makes you a better person. If you don’t, you’re just going to mess up your personal life.”
Demetrious Johnson also chimed in and supported St-Pierre’s mindset. Johnson noted that he feels the same when fans try convincing him to fight again.
“I love that aspect about [fighting], the IQ of it and the gamesmanship of it. But hurting somebody, hitting somebody, I never liked that,” Johnson said. “When I look back at my fights, I don’t recognize that person cause there’s a psycho in there essentially.”
UFC Legend Georges St-Pierre Explains Why He Hated Fighting