UFC welterweight champion Georges St.Pierre is normally regarded as a ladies man, but he managed to put his foot in it last week when asked for his opinion on woman’s mixed martial arts after the news that they would be getting a 135lb division in the UFC.
“For the woman fight, I say it’s good for her, and I mean for the girls that fight,” St-Pierre said. “But me personally I have a hard time watching the girls fight.
“In my heart I have, you know, it’s the way I grew up maybe, the mentality is different, I’m old school. have a hard time watching girls fighting; it’s hard for me. I never really watched a woman fight, but I know they are pretty good.”
That wasn’t the answer that fans of female MMA were hoping for from one of the sport’s biggest stars, and former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate, who’s already confirmed she is now a UFC fighter, has criticized him for not giving them the respect they deserve.
“I think the problem with GSP’s view about WMMA is that he doesn’t have one. If he hasn’t ever watched us women fight then he can’t say how he really feels about it because he’s ignorant.
Being old fashioned is fine, but us “modern day” girls aren’t asking for your protection, we are asking for your acceptance and we are fighting for equality.
If everyone felt about MMA as GSP thinks he feels about WMMA, then he wouldn’t have a job.
I’m hoping George St-Pierre can open his mind a little bit and actually watch some women’s fights. We’re coming to the UFC for a reason and it would be nice to have one of my all-time favorite fighter’s full support.
It won’t take long for him to realize we aren’t these fragile little creatures when we enter the cage, we are warriors and every bit as deserving of respect as the men.”
Incidentally, Tate’s biggest rival Ronda Rousey later backed her up, writing on Twitter, “Wow. Me and @MieshaTate actually kind of agree about something.”
The good news for Tate and Rousey is that regardless of what anyone thinks they are now officially in the UFC and will have a chance to show the world exactly what woman’s MMA is all about and why they belong on the sports biggest stage.
