Georges St-Pierre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Georges St-Pierre |
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St-Pierre in 2021
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| Born | May 19, 1981 Saint-Isidore, Montérégie, Quebec, Canada |
| Nickname(s) | Rush |
| Residence | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) |
| Division | Welterweight (2002–2013) Middleweight (2017) |
| Reach | 76 in (193 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Team | Jackson Wink MMA Academy Tristar Gym Grudge Training Center Renzo Gracie Academy |
| Trainer | Head Trainer: Firas Zahabi Strategy: Greg Jackson Wrestling: Victor Zilberman, Guivi Sissaouri Boxing: Howard Grant, Freddie Roach Muay Thai: Ajarn Phil Nurse Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: John Danaher, Bruno Fernandes, Renzo Gracie Strength: Pierre Roy Gymnastics: Patrick Beauchamp |
| Rank | 3rd dan black belt in Kyokushin Karate First degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Bruno Fernandes Black belt in Shotokan Black belt in Shidōkan Black belt in Gaidojutsu |
| Years active | 2002–2013, 2017 (MMA) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 28 |
| Wins | 26 |
| By knockout | 8 |
| By submission | 6 |
| By decision | 12 |
| Losses | 2 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By submission | 1 |
| University | Cégep Édouard-Montpetit |
| Notable school(s) | École Pierre-Bédard |
| Official UFC profile: https://www.ufc.com/athlete/georges-st-pierre |
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Georges St-Pierre (born May 19, 1981), also known as GSP, is a Canadian former professional mixed martial artist. Many people consider him one of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA). St-Pierre was a champion in two different weight classes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He won titles in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions.
St-Pierre was a three-time UFC Welterweight Champion. He was ranked as the number one welterweight fighter in the world for many years. From 2008 to 2010, he was named the Canadian Athlete of the Year. Many experts list him as the best MMA welterweight of all time.
In 2013, St-Pierre retired as the Welterweight Champion. He had defended his title nine times in a row. He returned to fighting in 2017 and won the Middleweight title. This made him one of the few fighters to be a champion in two divisions. He retired from MMA for good a short time later.
Outside of fighting, St-Pierre has also acted in movies. He appeared in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Kickboxer: Vengeance.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
Georges St-Pierre was born in Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada. He had a tough time in school and was often bullied. To defend himself, he started learning Kyokushin Karate when he was seven years old.
As a kid, he played hockey and enjoyed many sports. Before becoming a professional fighter, he worked as a bouncer and a garbageman to pay for his school fees. He was already a black belt in karate by the age of 12. He had his first professional fight when he was 20.
St-Pierre was inspired by the actor Jean-Claude Van Damme. He later got to act in a movie with him, which he called "a dream come true."
Training to Be a Champion
St-Pierre trained in many different martial arts to become a complete fighter. He learned wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), boxing, and Muay Thai. He earned a black belt in BJJ in 2008.
He trained at famous gyms like the Tristar Gym in Montreal and with famous coaches like Greg Jackson. This hard work helped him become skilled in both striking and grappling. He was known for his powerful wrestling, even though he didn't start wrestling until he was an adult.
A Legendary UFC Career
St-Pierre's career in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was full of amazing moments. He showed incredible skill, determination, and sportsmanship.
First Steps in the UFC
St-Pierre made his UFC debut at UFC 46 and won his first two fights. This earned him a shot at the vacant UFC Welterweight Championship against the experienced Matt Hughes. St-Pierre lost the fight, but he said the experience taught him a lot.
After that loss, he won his next five fights. This included a big win against B.J. Penn, which made him the top contender for the title again.
Becoming the Champion
At UFC 65, St-Pierre got his rematch with Matt Hughes. This time, St-Pierre dominated the fight. He won by technical knockout in the second round to become the new UFC Welterweight Champion.
However, his first reign as champion was short. In his next fight at UFC 69, he had a surprise loss to Matt Serra. St-Pierre later said that he had personal problems at the time and was not focused. He learned from this loss and became determined to win his title back.
A Long and Dominant Reign
St-Pierre worked his way back to the top. He defeated top fighter Josh Koscheck and then beat Matt Hughes again to win the interim (temporary) Welterweight Championship.
At UFC 83 in his hometown of Montreal, St-Pierre faced Matt Serra in a rematch. He won the fight easily and became the undisputed Welterweight Champion once again. This started one of the longest title reigns in UFC history.
For the next five years, St-Pierre defended his title nine times against the best fighters in the world. His opponents included Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn, Dan Hardy, and Nick Diaz. He was known for his smart fight plans and his amazing athletic ability.
Retirement and a Surprise Return
After a tough fight against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in 2013, St-Pierre announced he was taking a break from MMA. He gave up his title because he needed time for himself and felt the sport needed to be cleaner.
After four years away, St-Pierre made a stunning comeback at UFC 217 in 2017. He moved up to the middleweight division to fight the champion, Michael Bisping. St-Pierre won the fight by submission, making his opponent give up. This victory made him a champion in a second weight class, a rare achievement in the UFC.
A month later, St-Pierre gave up the Middleweight title due to health issues. In 2019, he officially announced his retirement from fighting.
Life After Fighting
St-Pierre has a charity called the GSP Foundation. It works to stop bullying and helps kids get involved in sports. He has also spoken about his own struggles with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and believes it helped him succeed.
In 2020, the UFC announced that St-Pierre would be added to the UFC Hall of Fame. In his home province of Quebec, a statue was created in his honor in 2021. The statue sits inside a metal octagon, like the UFC cage, with eight of his values written on the floor: family, perseverance, wisdom, integrity, generosity, respect, creativity, and honor.
Major Achievements
St-Pierre is one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history. Here are some of his biggest accomplishments:
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Hall of Fame
- UFC Middleweight Champion (one time)
- UFC Welterweight Champion (two times)
- Nine successful welterweight title defenses in a row
- One of only a few fighters to be a champion in two different UFC divisions
- Won "Fight of the Night" four times for his exciting matches
See also
In Spanish: Georges St-Pierre para niños
- List of UFC champions
- Double champions in MMA
- List of male mixed martial artists
- List of Canadian UFC fighters
- UFC Hall of Fame
