The fact that Georges St-Pierre helped launch a new fighters association earlier this week doesn’t appear to have hampered his chances of returning to the UFC.
Quite the opposite is true in fact, as the former UFC welterweight champion claims the promotion got in touch with his advisors to re-open contract negotiations on the very same day that he joined a number of other UFC stars in a press conference to announce the formation of the MMAAA.
“Actually, the night that we launched the association we received a letter, Rodolphe [Beaulieu] received a letter – my agent – from the UFC lawyer saying that they want to renew the negotiation with me because at the point where I was before the negotiation, the communication was cut,” GSP Told TSN. “So we didn’t have any kind of communication.”
However, while St-Pierre seems pleased that the UFC are no longer giving him the cold shoulder, he’s also made it clear that he’s still holding out to get what he believes he’s worth.
“I was hoping earlier to get on the [UFC 206] card for Toronto but it’s not happening and now I guess they’ll keep talking and we’ll see if they can come to an agreement. Same story as before but now I have more options. I’m [a] free agent. I don’t have to be in the UFC. I could go somewhere else.”
In fact, the UFC’s stalling tactics may well cost them in the end as GSP says that due to his commitment to the new fighters association, he is now be looking to set an example for others to follow by striking the best deal he possibly can.
“Who or what kind of person would I be if I’m taking a fight under conditions that are not equitable and I’m fighting for the other person that is trying to make their condition of work better. So if I do something, it’s smart to do it for myself first and then I try to do it for the other person. That’s my mentality.
“The truth is, I’ve met a lot of guys that when they finish their career they’re broken physically, mentally, financially and they have a family to feed and they have no insurance to care [for them]. This is unacceptable and that’s what we’re fighting for. I’m an exception because I’m very lucky. Even though I didn’t really have my fair share I ended up healthy and wealthy which is very rare in this business. Trust me, it is very rare. And I’m very happy, I feel very blessed to be in this situation and be able to fight for these guys that don’t have the same condition.”
