Four Reasons Why a GSP Comeback Will Be Successful
George St-Pierre has never been so close to coming back to the competition. The confirmation came indirectly a few days ago from Freddie Roach. The long time boxing coach of GSP revealed that they will do a six-week training camp, a full camp, exactly as if they were preparing for a fight. That test will tell where the Canadian is at physically and, perhaps more importantly, mentally. If he is still motivated to step inside the octagon; if he still possess the hunger and the drive; if he still willing to go through all the sacrifices that such life demands. The camp shall give the answers.
Yet, the fans have already given their answer: “No, it would be better not to come back.” The opinion is almost unanimous, that St-Pierre has already delivered his best and, was he to return, he will face no other than the sunset, ready to eclipse the memory of a brilliant career with the dark shades of bitter losses.
George St-Pierre was capable of doing what people always preach in vain: to retire at the peak of one’s career. Why would be be considering a comeback then? We all saw how it ended—he got through by the skin of his teeth. His victory against Johny Hendricks came by grace of the destiny, benevolent toward such an exquisite athlete on his way out, rather than his own merit. Truth be told, I had St-Pierre winning 48-47, but scorecards aside, everybody who followed the fight, be it at home in front of the television or inside the arena by the octagon, everybody knew that GSP had been beaten that night. That’s the reason why few people hope he will ever come back, because for that night we weren’t witness to the peak of George St-Pierre’s career, we glimpsed the end of it.
Could we have been wrong? I was more convinced of that right after his fight with Hendricks than what I am today.
Firstly, because St-Pierre is a smart guy who ponders over every decision rather than following his instinct, both inside and outside the octagon, and he has chosen the right strategy more often than not, either against his opponents as when it was time for him to take a break from the sport. So, if today he’s seriously considering competing again, we should assume he has good reasons to believe he is still capable of fighting at the highest level. And indeed, there are at least four reasons why a GSP comeback will be successful.
1. Now’s the right time
Nothing has really changed in the welterweight division since GSP walked away two years ago. We only have one new name, which in fact is not so new at all: Robbie Lawler. True, he is not just another guy, he is the champion, but for the narrowest margin. Lawler, Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit, they all are on the same level—a level that St-Pierre knows very well (see point 2). Nonetheless, he’d better hurry. Even though at 34 he is not old – Lawler is 33, Hendricks 32 and Condit 31 – his prime is coming to an end and most of all, the longer he stays away, the rustier he’s going to be, the harder it will be to come back.
2. He trains with Rory MacDonald
Let’s put it this way: if Rory regularly beat St-Pierre in training, do you believe he would be thinking of coming back? I doubt it. And if you can deal with Rory, you can deal with anybody in the welterweight division.
3. GSP is on another level
Lawler, Hendricks, MacDonald and Condit, as we said a moment ago, are all are at the same level. They are great fighters, no doubt, yet to be among the greatest of all time it’s not enough to win often, you have to win always, in a dominant fashion and for years. Jon Jones, José Aldo, Ronda Rousey, Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre are all on another level. I’m not sure one is born a phenom, but most certainly you don’t stop being one.
4. The mental aspect
To underestimate the mental aspect is not knowing combat sports. With perseverance, self-belief and the right motivation you can win a fight with a broken hand. Without it, you may very well lose against an opponent with a broken hand. GSP was on the verge of a breakdown and that’s the reason why he stepped away from the sport. He has never spoken about injuries or physical exhaustion: he was mentally broken, overwhelmed by the stress, by the pressure and his obsession for fights. The last St-Pierre we saw inside the Octagon was far from being at 100%; he was the shadow of George ‘Rush’ St-Pierre. If, as it appears, he’s finally recovered his serenity, his passion and hunger for victories, we could very well see a revived fighter.
Still, that is the biggest question and the reason why he intelligently chose to test himself in a training camp. To do a training camp is not like training whenever you want, whenever you feel like. A training camp is always, it’s your life for weeks. Forget your friends, forget your girlfriend and family, because during the camp there’s nothing other than training and rest from training. You push beyond your limits, even when you have nothing left in the tank, even when you’ve sweat your last drop, and the next morning it’s on again. You don’t go through a training camp because you have nothing better to do in your life, you do it because that’s what you want to do in your life.
How St-Pierre will emerge from that training camp will dictate not only his next future, but the future of the welterweight division as well.
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