"It will happen in MMA, it's just a question of time" - Georges St-Pierre believes formation of an MMA fighters' association is inevitable
Georges St-Pierre believes that the formation of a fighters' association is bound to happen in MMA down the line.
Jake Paul and Anderson Silva recently agreed to a friendly bet ahead of their highly anticipated boxing showdown. The terms dictated that if 'The Problem Child' emerged victorious, the former UFC middleweight kingpin would join him in starting a fighters association to help UFC fighters secure better pay and healthcare.
St-Pierre, who is the special co-host for the Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva boxing event, weighed in on the idea of unionization in MMA and opined that it is inevitable just like in any other sport:
"It will happen sooner or later. It happened in boxing, it happened in baseball, basketball, hockey, football and every other sport. It will happen in MMA, it's just a question of time and it needs to be done with the right people."
Watch Georges St-Pierre weigh in on the formation of an MMA fighters' association below:
The subject of unionization has long been a hot topic of discussion within the MMA sphere. As UFC fighter pay continues to be a point of contention, several fighters like Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou have made details of their negotiations public in recent years.
MMA happens to be one of the only mainstream sports that doesn't have an existing players association. According to experts and critics, several aspects of the relationship between MMA promotions and fighters benefit the promoters and owners while the fighters are left without a voice in major decisions.
Anderson Silva on a potential boxing match against Georges St-Pierre
Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre were two of the biggest stars during their time in the UFC. The two men ruled the UFC just one division apart for years, but fans never got to see the pair collide.
While the legendary matchup never took place inside the octagon, Silva seems intrigued by a potential boxing match against 'Rush' inside the boxing ring.
Speaking at a pre-fight press conference, Anderson Silva welcomed a boxing match against the former UFC welterweight kingpin when asked regarding a potential showdown in the future:
"Wow, I think that’s good. First of all, you would need to check [if] GSP is out of the contract with the UFC. And because I think GSP can come and do something special, the same as us."
Watch Anderson Silvia discuss a potential boxing match with GSP below (starting at the 39:25 mark):
Georges St-Pierre's last UFC appearance was against Michael Bisping at UFC 217 in November 2017. On that night, 'Rush' captured the middleweight title from Bisping and soon announced his retirement from MMA.