Former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre returns after a four year absence to challenge UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping for the gold at UFC 217.
Rory MacDonald is a longtime training partner of GSP and he wishes that the returning fighter wasn’t competing in the middleweight division.
“The 185 thing, I probably wouldn’t have advised it, but he is his own guy,” MacDonald said to MMA Junkie. “He has his own goals. He’s obviously very talented. He is the most dominant champion in welterweight, and one of the most dominant champions ever. It’s hard for me to say what’s right and wrong to a guy like that.”
GSP had spent his entire career in the UFC competing in the welterweight division, this is going to be his first time at middleweight.
The longtime training partner also wonders what kind of new skills the former welterweight champion is bringing to the Octagon.
“It will be interesting to see what new skills he brings in there, or if he’s going to revert back to his natural strengths,” MacDonald said. “I’ll be watching. I hope for the best.”
UFC 217 takes place on Saturday, November 4 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York with Michael Bisping and Georges St. Pierre headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
