How George Saint Pierre Influenced a Generation of Canadian’s

As of 2023, we are living in a world that is constantly striving to be more and more competitive in order to stat relevant and stick out. This trend has also coincided with an increasing number of people becoming interested in sport and keeping themselves physically active. In fact, now more people than ever are curious about Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) which is a full-contact combat sports that fuses together a myriad of skills, techniques and disciplines.

Although the origins of MMA fighting dates back many centuries by 1997 the term "Mixed Martial Arts" had been coined and it was growing into a true sport. As Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport and is gaining popularity day by day there are many outstanding fighters that have become famous because of it and it is worth exploring their impact on future generations of fighters.

Firstly, if you are a fan of MMA fighting there is no doubt that you have heard of the name George Saint Pierre. George Saint Pierre is a former professional mixed martial artist and has had an incredibly successful career having been branded one of the greatest fighters in the MMA realm. St-Pierre has won the UFC welterweight belt on two occasions, but his complete domination of lightweight champion BJ Penn is currently the defining moment of his career. GSP has been known for competing in the welterweight category which is a weight class in combat sports that is around 140-147 pounds.

However, in recent years GSP had actually moved up to the middleweight division. The Middleweight Division in Mixed Martial Arts refers to a weight class where the UFC Middleweight Fighters are generally complete within 171 to 185 lb (77.5 to 84 kg). The current UFC Middleweight Champion is Alex Pereira after defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. Currently, MMA fans are looking forward to seeing who the next middleweight champion will be and are engaging in UFC odds to make the experience more exciting than ever. In fact, it is easier than ever to get odds on the any upcoming fight such as Rodrigues G vs Ferreira B on or Park J Y vs Tiuliulin D.

A wise man

Furthermore, as the 2023 boxing calendar is already off to an exciting start, this enthusiasm around the upcoming matches has been enhanced by the legacy of such famous fighters as GSP. GSP has not only undoubtedly singlehandedly been one of the most entertaining fighters to follow in his MMA journey for fighting fans but has also been incredibly influential for Canadians in many ways. GSP has been known for sharing guidance and tips to those are thinking about getting into UFC saying things such as “If you want to be treated like a professional athlete, you have to look like a professional athlete”. He has also been very candid about his goals and how throughout his career he aspired to be known as the best MMA fighter in history. Throughout his career, GSP has also encouraged those who follow him to adopt a positive mindset and encouraged them through his positive self-talk to discard any limiting beliefs that could stop them from achieving their goals.

In addition, GSP has also managed to inspire other Canadian fighters as he has also opened up about his struggle when moving from the welterweight category up to the middleweight division. Although he has achieved tremendous success in this category having won the middleweight title in 2017 over Michael Bisping following a 4-year hiatus, GSP has been honest about the journey of travelling between divisions. In fact, he openly has admitted in the past that he attempted to put on weight despite the stress that it was putting on his body. As a result, GSP has given his advice to other fighters to remain the way they are instead of forcing them to deviate from their natural weight. By revealing the health risks that could incur if fighters put on weight too quickly, GSP has encouraged those in a similar field to take care of themselves mentally and physically.

In summary, as GSP has been regarded as the number one Welterweight in the world for numerous years and has been renowned globally as the most accomplished fighter in MMA history, those interested in MMA fighting could certainly benefit from listening to his advice and knowledge. Although GSP hasn’t actually competed in the MMA since vacating the middleweight title following his victory over Bisping, there are plenty of fighters that are hoping to follow in his footsteps in the upcoming year. So, why not see for yourself how the current fighters will perform by tuning in to the upcoming fights?