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GEORGES ST. PIERRE
Part 6
The Canadian Rastaman
Frank Trigg blocks Georges St. Pierre's high kick
© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges "It’s like I’m in a dream right now," says Georges St. Pierre, a few days after defeating Frank Trigg at UFC 54: Boiling Point. At the time of this interview, Georges is listening to his favourite reggae star, Beanie Mann, as he motors on down the highway with his girlfriend from Zaire, and Claude Patrick – one of his training partners. "I’m on a high now because I’m one step closer to a rematch with Matt Hughes. But I’ve heard they are going to give Parisyan the next bout with Matt. I think it’s a good match up, but the thing is, I beat Karo Parisyan, and I feel I deserve a shot at the title more than he does. Either way, I’m going to be watching their fight very closely." The jovial Georges is always happy and enjoys life to the fullest, but when it comes to crunch time, he takes his fighting very seriously. And part of his preparation for a fight is to study his upcoming opponent in graphic detail. As fight time approaches, you can be sure St. Pierre knows everything about the other guy, and he has counter-measures planned to dismantle him. Georges’s battle with Frank Trigg was no exception. "My strategy was to put Frank on his back because he’s an elite wrestler, and usually when he’s fighting he likes the top position. So my plan was to put him on his back because he’s never been there before except against Matt Hughes, and Matt beat him like that. When Frank’s on the bottom he doesn’t defend himself very well. "So that was my strategy. I exchanged with him a little bit first. He tried to shoot me, but I swept him and put him on his back. Then I submitted him with a rear-naked choke." St. Pierre says the fight did go as he expected, and he was able to put his game plan into action, although the victory came easier than he’d hoped at just 4.09 into round one.
Georges, in your interview with knucklepit.com before the fight, you said that you had seen weaknesses in Frank’s game and that you had a tactic to capitalise on those weaknesses. What was that tactic? "That was it – to put him on his back. I saw Frank’s weakness as being his inability to fight from underneath. And when I put him there, he was like a turtle: He was not comfortable. I think everybody was expecting me to come out and strike with him, and to keep the fight standing. Nobody thought I would go for a takedown. They were all saying he’s a way better wrestler than I am. But I did the unexpected. And I beat him." You did start out striking though, and you tried a high kick. "Yes. I did a high kick, but he blocked it and took it on his forearm." Did you intend striking first so he’d think you weren’t going for the takedown? "I think somebody told him I was planning on taking him down, because right at the beginning, he saw I was going to shoot and he fired out a knee. When he did that I thought it’s lucky I didn’t attempt the shoot. I waited a little bit, and I landed the kick and a couple of hands. When I caught him with the left hook, he tried to shoot in on me, but I was ready to sprawl, and I swept him straight away." So you were both going for the takedown? "Well, I knew he was going to try to put me down because he has only one game: He likes to put the guy down and ground’n’pound. I think I am more well rounded. I have a lot of options to choose from and he didn’t know what I was going to do." How did your strength compare with Frank’s? "It’s hard to say because when I put him down I think he was stunned a little bit. That’s what he said to me after the fight. I connected with a left hook, then after that he tried to shoot, but I saw he was wobbly and dazed so I was able to put him down easily." Your fitness level was up with Frank’s? "You know, I’m very athletic and I’ve never had a problem with that in my life." Did the pace seem fast? "Oh yeah, it was very fast. It was four minutes’ fighting and very intense." And how did your appearance at Just for Laughs go over on Canadian national television? "Everything went very well. And people laughed a lot. It was perfect." Are you a national hero in Canada now? "Oh no. I’m not well known here. I’m more known in the States. The sport is growing slowly here now. But that’s okay. I can do my own thing. It’s good to be known for sponsorship, but that’s the way it is. I’m more undercover this way, and I can go anywhere without it being a problem." So where are you going now? "We’re going to eat at a very nice restaurant and then we’re going to the movies to see The Cave. Your sponsors?
"Full
Contact Fighting, www.georges-st-pierre.com
and www.xrfighting.com." GEORGES ST. PIERRE Hollywood Georges
© Marc Wickert All photos copyright
2004 Zuffa LLC Except DVD photos © XRFighting
As usual, at the time of this interview Georges St. Pierre is on a Montreal motorway heading to a movie premiere. When Pierre isn’t training for an upcoming fight, you can bet your last buck he’s relaxing at some theatre in Quebec, and forgetting about his role as one of the world’s top MMA athletes. And fans can now see Georges making his own screen debut – well, starring in two of his instructional DVDs that is. Then later this month, ‘The Saint’ will be seen at his MGM appearance in Las Vegas, when he does battle with Sean Sherk during UFC 56: Full Force at the MGM Grand. On the same card will be Matt Hughes against Joe Riggs, who replaces the injured Karo Parisyan. St. Pierre intends watching the Hughes-Riggs match very closely, and he hopes to be Matt’s next opponent - regardless of the outcome with Riggs. Among others, Georges has been training for the Sherk bout with Patrick Cote and French K-1 fighter Krastoff Midoux. St. Pierre says his other training partner, David Loiseau, is on vacation in Florida with family after defeating Evan Tanner at the Ultimate Fighter. Georges was proud of his friend ‘The Crow’s’ victory against Evan: "David defended himself very well in the first round and he came back stronger in the second. Even if Tanner hadn’t suffered the open cut, I think he would have been knocked out," says St. Pierre. Georges is quietly confident but cautious in his lead up to the match with Sean Sherk, who has an MMA record of 29-1-1, and is best known for his wrestling prowess. "I expect Sherk to want to fight me on the ground, but I know that and I will be prepared for his game plan," says St. Pierre. "Maybe I’m going to try to keep him standing, but I’m going to take the fight as it comes. If I have the chance to put him down, I’ll put him down. I don’t have a strategy for the fight yet, so I can’t say exactly what I intend doing, but I think I’m going to mix it up with him." Georges believes that in a stand-up battle, he has a better assortment of weapons to use against Sean, and he feels he comes out trumps as a more versatile fighter than Sherk. "I have the reach advantage. I know he is a very good boxer from the outside, and he kicks very hard to the legs, but I will be prepared for him. We’re both extremely fast, although I think I’m going to be more well rounded." St. Pierre concedes that Sean is a skilled wrestler, but adds: "On my back I’m very good with submissions. And I’m very good at getting back up, so even if he puts me on my back, I don’t care because I’m ready for it. And he’s going to be on his back too, for sure, because I’m going to mix it up. It’s going to be a very exciting fight."
Georges, can you tell us about your instructional DVDs please? "There are two DVDs and they reveal some of my basic and advanced techniques. Some of these techniques I have not used in UFC fights yet, because I have not had the chance so far. But they are some of my favourites, and I practise them regularly in training. The first DVD includes striking drills and the second focuses on grappling drills." On the striking DVD, you show the dynamics involved in throwing an effective punch and firing off a damaging kick too, don’t you? "Yeah, I show some very important details for delivering devastating strikes, and I talk about my conditioning program. I think it’s very important for people to know how I get into shape for a fight. My weight training is also included, and I show how I incorporate the weights with the rest of my training. It’s a very comprehensive DVD." And can you tell us a bit about the other DVD please, Georges? "Oh, it includes some of my favourite wrestling and grappling techniques, like leg locks…It’s basic and I talk about ground’n’pound too. It covers takedowns and fighting against the cage, and submissions. "The techniques are explained clearly because I’m very focused on the small detail, which I think is extremely important in making an application work." Georges, has Sean Sherk ordered any copies? "I don’t know. I hope not. He could learn some of my favourites. I will beat him with one of these techniques, and if not, I have something else up my sleeve just for him."
Georges St. Pierre’s DVDs can be purchased now through www.knucklepit.com/shop/catalog.htm
GEORGES ST.
PIERRE "I’m Happy to Fight This Guy."
© Marc Wickert All photos copyright
2004 Zuffa LLC As previously stated at knucklepit.com, Georges St. Pierre is a movie buff. And when he isn’t training for an upcoming UFC, chances are he’ll be hanging out at the local cinema, catching up on the latest release – which at the moment happens to be Hostel. Out of five stars, St. Pierre says he’d give the film three-and-a-half. "Hostel is on at the movie theatre right now. It’s an American-made movie, but it’s based on a true story that took place in Eastern Europe. The plot is about people being kidnapped and sold to the rich, who pay to torture their captives. It’s a crazy story, man, but it’s also a true story. It happens for real in those countries," says St. Pierre. But right now, Georges is sitting back at his home in Montreal, chilling out. It’s 3.30 in the afternoon, three weeks prior to what he expects to be the toughest fight of his life. "I’ll take a little nap soon before heading back to the gym. I boxed this morning and tonight I’ll wrestle." Georges was pleased with his last Octagon appearance against Sean Sherk at UFC 56. "Yes, I can say I’m happy - because I won, but I made some mistakes. And I always have to work on my mistakes. I had the chance to hurt him a couple of times in the first round, and I didn’t seize those opportunities. From the clinch, I could have used knees and elbows, but I didn’t capitalise." At UFC 56, Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White stunned many fight fans when he announced the return of BJ Penn to the Octagon. Fans were again caught off guard when Dana later revealed Penn’s first return bout would be against St. Pierre. Georges admits he too was surprised to learn of the match-up. "Yeah, in the beginning it did come as a shock, because I was expecting a title shot. However, this bout is just another stepping stone in the journey to reach my goal. But I have no problem with that because, according to many people, he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. And if I can beat him, then I will make my mark in the sport. So I’m happy to fight this guy. "BJ is very well-rounded, and this will be the toughest fight of my career so far. But I’m ready for it."
Georges, before your bout against Frank Trigg, you said you saw weaknesses in his game. Do you see weaknesses in BJ Penn’s game? "For sure. He’s got weaknesses, and I’m going to use them against him. And by the way I fight him, everybody’s going to see these weaknesses. Nobody’s fought him the way I’m going to fight him." Will BJ want to take it to the ground? "I think BJ’s going to try to throw some bombs at me. After he’s thrown the bombs, he’s going to try to take the mount or rear-mount and attempt to choke me or finish me on the ground. I think that’s going to be his plan." You’re known as a well-rounded fighter. Can you match BJ in all aspects of the game? "I believe so. I think the only area where he is better than I am is the Jiu Jitsu. But now it’s MMA, and there are so many things going on – not only the Jiu Jitsu, but the wrestling, boxing, stand-up striking…Even the Jiu Jitsu on the ground has striking…So it’s a different game. And I think I’ll have the upper hand in that fight." Is it exciting for you and David Loiseau to have matches approaching on the same night? "It’s fun, but it’s also weird to have fights on the same card. Usually, when one of us is fighting, the other guy is in his corner, but I have no problem with that." What did you think of Randy announcing his retirement? "I think he made his decision. Maybe his priority is somewhere else now. He made his mark in the sport, and I would consider myself very lucky if I could only achieve half of what he accomplished in the sport. In my opinion, when he was at his best, he was the best fighter in MMA. I am very sad, but at the same time I had a lot of good times watching him fight. And I think he made a good decision for himself."
UFC 58 is billed as USA vs Canada. Would you prefer fans to focus on the individual fighters rather than the novelty aspect of it? "For me it’s just one man against another man. I know many of the guys on the card personally. But if I’m going to be successful, I have to focus on my own preparation, because if I use energy caring for my friends when they’re going to fight, then I won’t have the energy for myself. We’ve helped each other in the past, and we understand we have to be a little bit selfish and look after ourselves this time. "Yes, I’m Canadian, and yes, BJ is American, but I don’t care which country is going to have the upper hand. I just care about my fight. After I’ve finished my fight, I’ll watch my friends’ fights." Do you choose which song plays when you enter the arena? "Yes." Will it be reggae? "Probably. Reggae or hip-hop - but I like reggae, you know. It makes me relax, and that’s the kind of music I like the most. " So you don’t have to worry about their playing "I’m a Lumberjack" by Monty Python when you make your entrance? "Oh, no." Georges, is there anything you’d like to add? "I’d like to thank my fans for supporting me." Your sponsors? "Spike, Full Contact Fighter, XRfighting.com.
For more on Georges St. Pierre: www.georges-st-pierre.com For more on UFC 58: www.ufc.tv.
GEORGES
ST. PIERRE
©
Marc Wickert All
photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC Since
UFC 50: War of ’04 on October 22, 2004, Georges St. Pierre has
been pleading for a rematch with welterweight champion Matt Hughes. Then
just when it appeared St. Pierre’s prayers had been answered, with the
announcement of his return bout against Matt scheduled for UFC 63,
Georges had to withdraw from this highly anticipated battle, due to a
groin injury. Having waited so long for another shot at the title, St.
Pierre didn’t want to mount his challenge in anything less than
top-fuel shape. Fortunately
for Georges, there is a light at the end of the Octagon tunnel: “My
injury is healing very fast, but I cancelled the fight because I would
not have enough time to train. So what’s going to happen is BJ Penn
will fight Matt Hughes, and I will then fight the winner before
Christmas,” says St. Pierre. Although
Georges is known for his incredible flexibility and dynamic high kicks,
it was during a grappling session that he sustained the injury. “I got
it from wrestling. A guy grabbed my leg and I tried to sprawl - I made a
wrong move. I’m back training, but I don’t do any jiu jitsu right
now while I’m resting the injury. But I expect to be fine in a week or
two.” While
Georges was in the early stages of recovery, he seized the opportunity
to catch up on one of his favorite pastimes - going to the flicks. And
when he was put on the spot, he did manage to recommend two movies for
readers to see: “Oh, my God. There are a lot of good movies: V for
Vendetta… But I just saw a very good French-Canadian comedy called
Bon Cop, Bad Cop. It means Good Cop, Bad Cop.” But now, back to the MMA side of business: Georges, you said the BJ Penn fight would be the toughest fight of your career. Was it? “Yeah,
it was, because I got hurt in the first round and BJ Penn is a very good
fighter.” You
also said you could see weaknesses in his game before the bout. What
were they? “He
doesn’t like being kicked in the legs, so when I fought him, I
targeted his legs. And also, he let himself be pushed against the fence
very easily. So I took advantage of that too.” You predicted he would come out hard and strong, early in the match. That was the case, wasn’t it? “Yes,
that’s what I thought he would do. The only thing is, I’m a quick
starter too. However, I got punched in the eyes and I was not able to do
well in the beginning, but I came back later in the fight.” And
the punches to the eyes affected your vision? “Oh,
my God, really bad. For most of the first round I could not see well at
all. It was very hard for me to fight him, because I was seeing two BJ
Penns, and I just tried to survive. But after my vision came back, I was
able to execute my game plan well.” How
did it feel, turning the tide in rounds two and three? “I
realized I had lost the first round, and I knew I had to come back
strong. Then I won the second and third round. But I’m still not happy
with my performance. If you look at my previous fights, you’ll notice
I’ve never lost a round in my career. It’s the first time I’ve
ever lost a round and I’m not very happy about that. “Even against Matt Hughes, I was doing very well until the end of the round. I spoke to one of the judges after that fight, and he was awarding that round to me - up until I lost the match in the final seconds.”
After the bout with Penn, BJ was saying he thought he did more damage, but even on that level, it’s hard to compare cuts on the face – where the bleeding is apparent – to the damage you caused by those vicious leg kicks you were doing to him. You must have done a lot of damage to his legs. “The
thing is, he did a lot of damage because he caught me in the first round
and my eye started swelling. And then he split my nose with one
uppercut, and my nose started bleeding. But aside from those two strikes
in the first round, I would have been unmarked. If I had punched him in
the eye, his eye would have swelled too. And as I said, those two
punches occurred in the first round and that doesn’t decide a
three-round fight.” People were suggesting before the bout that you would not be used to so much pain in a fight. And that it could be a problem for you. What did you think of those comments? “It’s
true. I’d never really been tested in a fight before. It was my first
big test. And I think I passed the test very well.” What
did you think of David Loiseau’s match? “I
think he’s going to get a lot of experience from that fight. It’s a
loss, but I believe it’s a good loss. He will just bounce back
stronger.” You both showed how tough you are. “Yeah,
especially David. He could have stopped the fight earlier, but he
didn’t. Even I was looking at the fight, thinking: ‘My God, they
should stop it.’ But he just didn’t stop. And I think he showed
everybody how big his heart is.” How
will Mike Swick go against David? “I
think David is going to finish Mike Swick with a vicious elbow on the
ground, up against the fence. That’s my prediction.” What
do you expect BJ Penn’s strengths to be against Matt? “If
it’s a short fight, I think BJ Penn is going to win, because he has
more tools, he’s a better striker, maybe better on the ground,
submission-wise. Or maybe Matt Hughes has the advantage down there with
the wrestling… But if it’s a short fight, I think BJ will win.” What
do you expect Matt’s strengths to be against BJ? “I
think Matt has more art, better cardio, and he’s stronger – so
he’s going to be able to impose his physical power on BJ. If it goes
past the third round, I think Matt is going to win – by decision, or
finish him because Baby J’s weaknesses are his cardio and that he
gives up very fast when the fight isn’t going well for him.” Will
BJ’s previous victory over Matt be playing on Matt’s mind? “Maybe.
We will find out. I think, more likely, Matt will just get more
motivated to beat BJ. I think it’s a good thing for Matt.” Will
your victory over BJ be playing on BJ’s mind? “I
think it’s going to motivate BJ more, as well. I think the losses will
make them both stronger: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” And
you’ve said you’ll fight the winner – whoever that happens to be? “I
would like to fight the best fighter in the world – no matter who that
is. I hope Matt Hughes wins, because for sure I would like to have my
rematch with Matt. But if BJ wins then that means he is the best fighter
in the world, and I would like to fight him again.” Georges,
is there anything you’d like to add? “No,
I’m fine. It’s all good.” Your
sponsors? “Biotest and Full Contact Fighter.”
For
more on Georges St. Pierre: www.ufc.tv. To
purchase Georges St. Pierre’s instructional DVDs: Vol.1 and Vol.2,
GEORGES
ST. PIERRE The Man Who Is King
©
Marc Wickert All
photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC Georges St. Pierre is at home in Montreal, Quebec, at the time of this interview and is a little ‘Rushed’, so he politely asks, “Is it okay if I eat while we talk?” The recently crowned UFC Welterweight World Champion is in the middle of a meal, but the name of the dish he has trouble translating into English. “I don’t know how to say it in English – it’s corn mixed with eggs and potatoes; it’s a French-Canadian meal,” say St. Pierre. “A corn cream?” Georges has been waiting a long time to behold the welterweight crown, and through a trial-by-fire process over the hot coals of such MMA greats as Matt Hughes (one loss and one win), BJ Penn and Karo Parisyan, St. Pierre has proven himself to be a worthy custodian for the throne. But he doesn’t take the title lightly: “My God, now I’m the target, so everybody will be working hard to get me. And yes, it does worry me: That’s why I’m afraid and I’m going to train even harder to become a lot better than I am.” Part
of the responsibility of being champion is to be a great ambassador for
the sport, and Georges
has been that already, helping to spread the word about mixed martial
arts. “The fans were very happy for me when I won the title and the
sport has become a lot more known here. I think a lot of people in Canada
knew the sport of MMA, but it just helped the popularity more.” And
with MMA now being so well received internationally – particularly
through the World Wide Web, St. Pierre is continually gathering more
international fans, particularly in America, which he is very grateful
for. “For me it’s not a national thing, it’s a sport. And I like my
fans equally, whether they are from the United States, Canada, or Japan…
I like them all. And I want to thank them all for the support they give
me.” Naturally, with his victory over Matt Hughes, the highly popular St. Pierre has gathered even more supporters.
Georges,
what did Matt say to you after the fight? “ ‘Good job.’ He didn’t say that much. I asked, ‘Are you okay?’ and he said ‘Yes.’ I told him, ‘Don’t worry, we will do it again.’ I’m sure he will come back stronger for that. He was a little bit dazed: We didn’t have a long and detailed conversation.” After your first fight with Matt, you said you thought you were able to match him strength-wise. How did you compare with Matt’s level of strength and fitness this time? “I think I’m stronger than he is, but I don’t know… I mean, he’s a strong guy… We didn’t have a chance to go toe-to-toe that much, but I always feel like I’m very strong. I never have a problem in that area.” And
your fitness was fine? “Oh, yeah; my athleticism is always a big factor in my fights.” How
did your Mom and Dad feel about your win? “They are very proud of me and they are my number one fans.” Georges,
are you able to keep eating while we talk? “Yes, yes; I’m good.” How
did you celebrate your victory? “When I arrived back in Montreal, I organized a dinner and then we went to a club with my training partners and close friends - it was amazing. We stayed out for two days in a row: We partied like rock stars.” I
know readers will want me to ask: What’s your favorite
movie at the moment? “It’s hard to say… Not long ago I saw Departed. It’s a very good movie. That’s the most recent movie I’ve seen that I can highly recommend.” How
is your training going now? “It’s going fine. I have a little injury, but it will be okay in a couple of weeks. I tore my knee ligament, my MCL, a month ago, but I recuperate very fast, so I’ll be fine very soon.”
When
do you fight next? “On April 7 in Houston.” Who
is your opponent? “Matt Serra.” What
do you expect from him? “He’s not going to try to box me, he’s going to try to throw big bombs and knock me out with one shot. So I’ll have to stay very focused. And I’m sure his goal is going to be to put me on the ground, or pull guard and work a submission from the bottom or from the top.” Have
you heard if BJ Penn wants a rematch? “No, I’ve heard nothing about him.” And
you said before that you expect a Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes III? “It’s going to happen for sure. I know Matt is a proud athlete and he’s going to want to fight me again. He gave me a chance for revenge, and I want to give him the same opportunity.” You’ve also said in the past that you’re a fan of Randy Couture. How do you think he will go against Tim Sylvia? “I think Randy can surprise everybody. A lot of people say that he is old, but I’m sure if he trains well and comes with his A-game, he’s going to win.” Georges,
is there anything you’d like to add? “I would like to thank all the fans for their support: I can’t wait to fight again and put on a great show for them.” Your
sponsors? “Thank you to Biotest for all the support they give me. They have been with me for a long time now, and I want to thank them for everything.”
For more on Georges St. Pierre: www.ufc.tv.To purchase Georges St. Pierre’s instructional DVDs visit www.knucklepit.com shop.
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