5 current UFC welterweights Georges St-Pierre might struggle against
Often regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, Georges St-Pierre has not fought since 2017. His final bout came at UFC 217 where he defeated Michael Bisping for the UFC middleweight title. In doing so, he became just the fourth fighter in UFC history to win gold in two divisions.
During his illustrious career, Georges St-Pierre dominated the UFC welterweight division. Racking up nine defenses across two reigns, ‘Rush’ lost just twice in his career. His defeats came at the hands of Matt Hughes and Matt Serra respectively. In both cases, GSP avenged his defeat in a rematch.
Georges St-Pierre has not competed at welterweight since 2013. In that time, a whole generation of fighters have moved into the division. While Georges St-Pierre’s insane blend of acrobatic strength, wrestling and explosive strikes make him a nightmare for most, there are a select few who could challenge him.
Here are five current welterweights who the legendary Georges St-Pierre might struggle against:
#5. Georges St-Pierre vs. Vicente Luque
Following his exhausting decision loss to Stephen Thompson at UFC 244, Vicente Luque has found himself on a bit of a hot streak. ‘The Silent Assassin’ has ruthlessly finished his last four opponents. Most recently, at UFC 265, Luque scored a first-round submission over Michael Chiesa with a D’Arce choke.
Thanks to his Muay Thai expertise, Luque is a sharp and versatile striker. He’s also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, ensuring excellent defense and submission application on the ground.
For Georges St-Pierre, Luque offers an additional challenge thanks to his mastery of Luta Livre. The Brazilian martial art is essentially a hybrid of judo and catch wrestling. The no-gi combat style has also been utilized by fighters such as Glover Teixeira and José Aldo.
For Georges St-Pierre, it’s one of the few martial arts still left on planet Earth that he doesn’t appear to be an expert in. Between the curious blend of styles and the immense aggression he’s shown of late, Vicente Luque has never been more dangerous.
For Georges St-Pierre, this is a dynamic, rapidly improving fighter who could challenge him both on the feet and on the ground.