Dana White has been shutting down a lot of rumors regarding future fights for Khabib Nurmagomedov. He has shut down any rumors of a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and now he is addressing the interest Georges St-Pierre showed in facing the current lightweight champ.
This week on Ariel Helwani’s MMA show, the former welterweight and middleweight champion said he was interested in fighting the Dagestani lightweight UFC champion but White does not seem to think he can make the 155-pound weight to fight for that title. The UFC President told ESPN, “Just because all of a sudden he wants to come out and fight this guy, he doesn’t get to do that.” White added that “If Georges St-Pierre is serious, listen; I’ll give you a fight with one of these guys in the top five. If you win, you’ll be in position for a title shot.”
It is important to note that St-Pierre has fought at welterweight most of his career and the 170-pound division is the lightest he has ever fought. The only time he changed was when he returned at middleweight to face Michael Bisping for the middleweight title at UFC 217 last November. While White says it would be unfair to the lightweight division for him to jump over them, he did set that precedent by allowing St-Pierre to do it last year against Bisping.
However, going up in weight to 185 pounds is a lot easier than it is to go down and White does not seem to think the 37-year-old St-Pierre can make the weight.
“We don’t even know if Georges St-Pierre can make 155 pounds. You know what I mean?” –Dana White
Still, White has shut down a lot of things in the past that came to fruition in combat sports like the women’s division and Conor McGregor boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. If history has shown fight fans anything when it comes to ventures that show financial potential, minds can be changed.
Do you think we’ll see Georges St-Pierre return for a 155-pound title?
