Former two division UFC champion Georges St. Pierre returned after a four-plus year absence to defeat Michael Bisping and win the UFC Middleweight Title in the main event of UFC 217.
GSP has since been on the sidelines due to a battle with ulcerative colitis and jiu-jitsu coach John Danaher says that nobody knows if the former champion will get back in the Octagon again.
“The truth is no one knows (if he will fight again) because it comes down to medical problems,” Danaher said on The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show. “Georges has got a problem in his stomach. I’m not going to claim to be a medical expert, but it’s one of the most frustrating things Georges has had to deal with because there’s certain parts of the human body that are just out of your control, and the stomach is one of them.”
It was the ulcerative colitis diagnosis that eventually led to GSP relinquishing the UFC Middleweight Title.
Danaher says that a bout with UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley would be GSP’s first choice if he does return to action.
“Absolutely (he would fight Woodley),” Danaher said. “I think Tyron Woodley’s a great champion. I know he gets a lot of stink and a lot of flack. That kid is very, very talented. … Tyron Woodley’s a very, very difficult opponent to beat, because people criticize his style, but people don’t understand the difference between regular fighting and championship fighting. Championship fighting is about winning and losing, and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to win. That’s the first consideration.”
There is no time frame right now as to when GSP could potentially make that Octagon return, if at all.
