On Wednesday night’s edition of FOX Sports Live, Dana White responded to claims by boxing trainer Freddie Roach that two of the reasons Georges St.Pierre vacated his title and went on an extended leave from the sport were the fact that he was having headaches and that he was disillusioned with way that the UFC president had been treating him.
As you might expect, White had a different take on it, and expressed surprise that the reasons GSP had given both UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and himself were completely different than those that have been mentioned in the press so far.
“The crazy stuff I keep hearing back from Georges St-Pierre is unbelievable,” White said. “No, Georges St-Pierre never complained to us about headaches. Georges St-Pierre has never publicly said the real reasons why he stepped away from the UFC for a year. When he sat down with Lorenzo and I it was a whole different set of issues, personal problems. It had nothing to do with headaches or drug testing or anything else that’s been said.
“Not only did he tell us it was personal issues, he told us what the personal issues were. I have no idea [why he’s saying these things publicly]. I don’t know if he’s just trying to draw a smokescreen to what he’s really dealing with and doesn’t want to publicly talk about it? I don’t know.”
Despite clearly being frustrated with the situation, White says he won’t reveal the personal reasons that St.Pierre gave them.
“What Georges St-Pierre told us in private I would never repeat. He can get as kooky as he wants to get and say whatever he wants to say, but I would never repeat what he told us.”
So, the rift between St.Pierre and White continues to grow, and while the UFC president hasn’t gone the nuclear option (yet), labeling St.Pierre’s apparent reasons as “insane”, “kooky” and “crazy” aren’t going to sit too well with the Canadian fighter and could end up influencing him when he eventually gets around to deciding whether he wants to compete again or not.
