http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2015/7/26/9041105/video-georges-st-pierre-reveals-details-on-his-break-from-mma-ufc
Boody Elbow's Mark Bergmann had the chance to talk to former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at the Under Armour brand launch in Munich, Germany last week. St-Pierre vacated his title and stepped down from active MMA competition roughly two years ago. He has been one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, with nine successful title defenses and a multi-year reign on top of the 170-pound division.
His reasons to take a break have never really become clear. One has been the ongoing problem with performance-enhancing drugs in the UFC and his strong discontent with how the organization dealt with it. The new anti-drug policy in place might be a "catalyst" for GSP to come back says St-Pierre's coach Firas Zahabi, who is very close to him. But although the former champion thinks the new program is "good news" and a "big progress", you shouldn't hold your breath for a return just yet.
"There is different reasons of why I took a break. What I can say is, I'm not sure, I don't know right now if I wanna come back or not. I'm not sure when, if I do. So it's still the same answer as before," St-Pierre said during the interview with German outlet GNP1.de.
GSP never talked publicly about those "different reasons" that made him walk away from the sport. There have been several rumors, though. Some said he had problems handling the pressure of being a champion, Zahabi indicated he might want to have a family. Now, St-Pierre himself finally gave a deeper inside look into his reasoning.
"Like every human being, I wish one day I'll meet someone and spend the rest of my life with, with a great family and stuff. That's a dream of pretty much everybody," St-Pierre said. He did clarify that his wish for a family is not the reason he stepped down though. It rather was the draining life of a professional fighter, who is constantly in the spotlight and a target for criticism.
"I've been doing this sport at the elite level for a very long time. I've been champion for like nine years, eight years. And it's a very stressful life," St-Pierre said. "You have a lot of criticism, a lot of pressure and critics, and everything put together, it hit you a lot. You don't wanna hear the critics sometimes, but it's still there. I'm a sensitive guy, and it hit you, hit you, and you're never good enough and stuff. So for my mental health, I needed to step out and get a little bit of a social life."
Besides enjoying his newly-found social life and shooting a few movies here and there, St-Pierre is still doing lots of sports, including Gymnastics, Basketball and, of course, Mixed Martial Arts. Active competitor or not, fighting plays a huge role in his life, the only difference is: Without all the pressure, he is able to enjoy training again, and hence has gotten better and better, according to him.
"Mixed Martial Arts is something that I've done all my life, you know, I would never stop training, no matter what, if I come back or not," GSP explained.
Instead of training "for performance", he started to train for fun again, he says.
"I became world champion by training for fun. And then the fun became business, and business became stressful, and then you lost fun. I didn't have fun at the end, I did it because I had to, not because I wanted to. I should have actually stopped maybe one fight before, or two fights before, but I couldn't. It was always constantly another guy challenging me. Carrying all this weight on my shoulders, I felt like I needed to do it, instead of wanting to do it."
didnt see UG Blog covered this , should have known :)
Hong Kong Phooey -GOAT
I give him credit, he ALWAYS spoke from the heart and was so honest, never a tough guy front like other fighters. He sold fights purely on insane skill and being able to just shut you down. The Floyd Mayweather of mma imo... Not my favorite by any means, but you can't deny his greatness just because he didn't highlight reel finish guys... As a person I don't think there's many better in mma than Georges (from what I hear) 
stringtheory - One of the greatest. Respectful, humble and a true martial artist.It we be kind of awesome if he was. Gays have lots of money.
Having said that I think he's gay.
...to give to the sport...
Imagine how much cash he would lose under the reebok deal?
One of the main reasons Hendricks started to bug me was when he said Georges didn't deserve the belt because he didn't want it.
From GSP's first big title fight with Hughes to the time he retired more than eight years passed. Hendricks was still new to this. There's no way to compare yourself to someone who's been doing this almost a decade.
Let's see where Hendricks is in another 6 1/2 years and see if he's still waking up at dawn to train for his big title fights. If he ever gets the belt back, that is.
Cant believe the outcry from the Hendricks fight. Any reasonable person could see it was a clear 2 rounds each with the only round that could go either way being the first.
Maybe if Jonny boy wasnt singing to himself and bit down on his mouth piece in between the 4th and 5th like GSP and go after it, he could have got the belt.
Will never be a fan of his after his carry on post fight.
Darth Ryase - One of the main reasons Hendricks started to bug me was when he said Georges didn't deserve the belt because he didn't want it.This is where a true legend like GSP differs from a guy like Hendricks. GSP always took the high road and never whined and complained about fairness or how a shot should be his or the belt is his after he lost etc.
From GSP's first big title fight with Hughes to the time he retired more than eight years passed. Hendricks was still new to this. There's no way to compare yourself to someone who's been doing this almost a decade.
Let's see where Hendricks is in another 6 1/2 years and see if he's still waking up at dawn to train for his big title fights. If he ever gets the belt back, that is.
duckhuntgangsta -stringtheory - One of the greatest. Respectful, humble and a true martial artist.It we be kind of awesome if he was. Gays have lots of money.
Having said that I think he's gay.
If he came out, and then came back for one more fight, or came back and fought Robbie for the title...That PPV would probably hit 2 million buys.
Darth Ryase - One of the main reasons Hendricks started to bug me was when he said Georges didn't deserve the belt because he didn't want it.
From GSP's first big title fight with Hughes to the time he retired more than eight years passed. Hendricks was still new to this. There's no way to compare yourself to someone who's been doing this almost a decade.
Let's see where Hendricks is in another 6 1/2 years and see if he's still waking up at dawn to train for his big title fights. If he ever gets the belt back, that is.
Hendricks really turns alot of people off when he gets interviewed. I really do not think he's a bad guy but he always has cringe worthy quote. Should just hire a wwe mgr.
I think Georges being gay would probably be the best thing that could happen to MMA in the eyes of the larger public.
As far as him coming back, don't see the point.
Nothing left to prove and the division is finally exciting again.
Goat
SurgicalGloves - I think Georges being gay would probably be the best thing that could happen to MMA in the eyes of the larger public."...the best thing..."
As far as him coming back, don't see the point.
Nothing left to prove and the division is finally exciting again.
If true, a testament to how far society has fallen.
Carne de cavalo é o melhor -Lol don't fall for the media's trap brahSurgicalGloves - I think Georges being gay would probably be the best thing that could happen to MMA in the eyes of the larger public."...the best thing..."
As far as him coming back, don't see the point.
Nothing left to prove and the division is finally exciting again.
If true, a testament to how far society has fallen.
Regardless of how GSP fought "safe" near the end of his career, he never once did that Johnny Hendrix "I'm gonna keep putting my head in your crotch to run out the time" shit like Johnny did against lawler.