<div class="Article" style="float: left;">
<table>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom;">
<td>
<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=439963" target="_blank">
MacDonald: GSP not 'gone for good'
</a></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<a href="/go=news.detail&gid=439963" ><img class="photo" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&rs=70&q=75&x=34&y=18&w=310&h=165&ro=0&s=stpierre-macdonald.jpg" /></a>
<div style="clear: both; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;"> </div>
</div>
<p>Georges St-Pierre has been a mentor and training partner of Rory MacDonald since MacDonald starting fighting professionally. St-Pierre has always held MacDonald in high regard and made many comments to the media that he might be the next big thing at welterweight. As a close friend of St-Pierre, MacDonald may have some insight into his recent decision to take time away from the sport:</p>
"I don't think he's gone for good," MacDonald said of St-Pierre on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "But maybe he needs some time."
MacDonald hasn't yet watched St-Pierre's controversial title defense against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167, but he, along with St-Pierre, has been deluged with questions regarding a fight between the two Tristar teammates for some time now.
The topic finally reached a fever pitch in the lead-up to UFC 167, and that alone proved to be frustrating enough for the 24-year-old. So to that end, MacDonald understands completely St-Pierre's need to take some time away from mixed martial arts.
"People have no idea the kind of pressure it is to fight, and I have no idea what kind of pressure it to hold the belt for (six years)," MacDonald said.
<div style="clear: left; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;"> </div>