Dana White: Georges St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva Could Happen in 2011

FORT HOOD, TEXAS – UFC president Dana White on Friday told a small group of troops at the Fort Hood military post in Killeen, Texas, that a long-discussed superfight could come to fruition this year.

Speaking at a question-and-answer session that was closed to the public and attended only by enlisted military personnel, White said a fight between welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and middleweight champion Anderson Silva might take place in 2011.

Both fighters' dominance in their respective divisions would lead to the matchup, though White cautioned that both need to win their upcoming title defenses.

"If (Silva) wins that fight (against Vitor Belfort at UFC 126), then Georges St-Pierre needs to beat Jake Shields in Toronto (at UFC 129)," White said. "If that happens, then we're probably going to do that fight (between St-Pierre and Silva). If they both win, that fight makes all the sense in the world."

White also said in that scenario, he believes St-Pierre would move up from welterweight – and possibly even make that his new home. White did not elaborate on what would happen with St-Pierre's 170-pound title if that scenario indeed played out.

"Georges St-Pierre – he would move to 185 (to fight Silva) and stay at that weight and not go back to 170," White said. "Should (they) win (their next) fights, that fight will probably happen this year."

On most pound-for-pound rankings lists, Silva and St-Pierre alternate between the No. 1 and No. 2 positions and both have been at the top of most lists for years.

White has said on many occasions he believes Silva is the best fighter in the world. He has defended his middleweight title seven consecutive times, plus a win over Travis Lutter that was a non-title fight when Lutter couldn't make weight. In addition, he has two wins at light heavyweight against James Irvin and Forrest Griffin.

With a record 11 consecutive wins in the UFC, Silva (27-4, 11-0 UFC) was never truly tested until his title defense in August against Chael Sonnen. Sonnen dominated the first four rounds and the first half of the final round and was on his way to what would surely have been a unanimous decision victory. But Silva was able to work from his back for a submission, the only chance he had to win the fight, and forced Sonnen to tap with a triangle-armbar combination.

After the fight, Silva and manager Ed Soares said the champion was fighting with a bad rib injury, which they said explained Sonnen's dominance throughout the fight. In September, it was announced Sonnen had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. He was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission, effectively nixing a likely rematch between the two. Silva next defends his title against Belfort at UFC 126 on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas.

St-Pierre (21-2, 15-2 UFC) has not lost since a TKO against Matt Serra at UFC 69, regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of MMA. That was St-Pierre's first defense of the welterweight title he had taken from Matt Hughes at UFC 65, ending Hughes' long reign in the division. St-Pierre got his belt back at UFC 83 in his home city of Montreal and has gone on to defend it five straight times – winning every round in the process with four unanimous decisions and a TKO against former lightweight and welterweight champ BJ Penn from a corner stoppage before the fifth round.

St-Pierre is scheduled to defend his title against former Strikeforce middleweight champion and recent UFC signee Shields at UFC 129 in Toronto, the promotion's debut in Ontario, on April 30. Shields beat Martin Kampmann by split decision at UFC 121 in his UFC debut to earn the title shot.


Source: mmafighting.com

Strikeforce’s Nick Diaz: “People Think GSP’s Better Than Me and It’s BS”

There are a lot of fighters who will take exception to many of the rankings in the world of MMA. One person who is more than happy to let his feelings be known is Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, who keeps calling out Georges St-Pierre because everyone tries to tell him that St-Pierre is the best fighter at 170 pounds.

Well if that’s what everyone is saying, he is tired of listening to it.

Diaz, who spent several years with the UFC early in his career, has spent the last few working for different organizations including EliteXC and Strikeforce. During that time he’s established himself as one of the toughest competitors at 170 pounds, and thinks it’s high time people recognized his work.

“I think I got here and started fighting before most of them, including Georges St-Pierre in the UFC. I was really mad because they were getting fights and recognition when I was here first. I thought it was first come, first serve. I was working harder and I was here first,” Diaz commented on Thursday.

Diaz also brought up St-Pierre’s last opponent, Josh Koscheck, who he believes deserves no place among the top fighters in the welterweight division.

“Josh Koscheck, I cornered a guy to fight Josh Koscheck, he probably had two fights in his life, and this fight he was set up to fight Josh Koscheck. They made easy fights for those guys. This guy’s got like six or seven fights, all easy guys. I never fought anybody like that guy that’s fought against Josh Koscheck,” Diaz explained.

“We’ve got some guy who doesn’t even fight, he drinks at a bar, and we took him to fight Josh Koscheck one day. He didn’t even know who he was fighting. I’ve never had fights like that. So when you bring up guys like that to me and tell me they’re the best fighters in the world, it’s a (expletive) joke.”

While it’s true that Diaz is in a different promotion than St-Pierre or Koscheck, he believes that the organizations could work together to make the fights happen that the fans and critics want to see.

“Straight up, people think this guy’s better than me and it’s (expletive),” Diaz said about St-Pierre. “He just fought Josh Koscheck for (expletive) five rounds, I just told you about Josh Koscheck. Why are you saying he’s the best? What is that (expletive)? Because we fight for different companies?

“I think it’s big enough to where they can get enough money involved where they can organize that show.”

It’s obvious Diaz is more than willing to face anybody that steps in to fight him, but if there is a consolation prize it’s the fact that he believes his teammate will take the crown off of St-Pierre’s head come April 30 at UFC 129 in Toronto.

“Right now, what do you want? You guys rank that guy above me. I want to fight GSP, but I think my partner (Jake Shields) will take him out regardless,” said Diaz.

He also named UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva among his dream fights, but ultimately he wants to prove he’s the best whether it’s against St-Pierre or someone in Strikeforce. He’s ready for the test.

“It’s a joke to me. This guy may be a good fighter now, but these guys that are ranked up there, I was here first and that’s fine,” Diaz shouted. “Let’s fight then and make it happen.”

Source: mmaweekly.com

Georges St-Pierre, Manager Shari L. Spencer Part Ways

Georges St-Pierre and his manager Shari L. Spencer have decided to amicably split up.

According to a press release, "They felt they had a different vision for the future of Georges' career and it was best to remain close personally but dissolve their business relationship."

St-Pierre signed with Spencer in 2007 and has since become one of the most recognizable MMA athletes in the world, signing endorsement deals with blue-chip sponsors Gatorade Canada and Under Armour.

"Shari has been very valuable to me and my career over the last several years. We broke through a lot of barriers together and so I will always be grateful to her and call her my friend," St-Pierre stated.

Spencer, who also represents UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, is one of the few female managers in MMA. She runs her own boutique management group, The Spencer Firm.

"I am extremely proud of the representation I provided to Georges and the incredible opportunity to have partnered with an athlete of his caliber. I am thankful for the trust that he displayed in me in managing his career since mid 2007 and I wish him the best going forward," she stated.

St-Pierre will remain a part of the Creative Arts Agency Sports team, who he signed with in 2008, but will also hire a new manager shortly. No word just yet on who that person will be.

The UFC welterweight champion will defend his title next against Jake Shields at UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto.


Source: mmafighting.com