Elias Theodorou: GSP vs. McGregor would be MMA’s Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

After months of conflicting rumors and reports, Georges St-Pierre has finally agreed to the terms of a new contract with the UFC. That means we’re likely to see the former welterweight great and bona fide MMA legend back in the cage sometime before the end of the year.

On Wednesday’s episode of BJ Penn Radio, Canadian middleweight Elias Theodorou weighed in on the return of St-Pierre with host Kinch. Apparently, he was initially unsure about the former champ’s comeback. His words:

“I think, going into this [St-Pierre] comeback, I felt a little hesitation in the sense that the storyline of him walking away into the sunset, still champion, would have been the best thing for him, just because no one does that. Other than, I think, Lennox Lewis, nobody in combat sports has really done that.”

That said, Theodorou believes now is the perfect time for St-Pierre’s return, as there are a plethora of interesting matchups available to him.

“Times are perfect to jump back in,” he said. “You have someone who is still very game in GSP who wants, potentially, to fight three different mega fights. You have someone like [Michael] Bisping at middleweight. You have a potential fight at 170 with whoever ends up winning Stephen Thompson vs. Tyron Woodley. Obviously you have the 155-pound champ Conor McGregor.”

Theodorou believes this latter fight is a particularly massive opportunity for the returning St-Pierre, and compared it to 2015’s Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao boxing match.

“That would be our version of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather – just because you don’t expect it. You would never expect someone like Georges to go down to 155. But he says he can do it, and he’s a professional, and I believe him. I don’t think he’d do it many times, I think it’d be a one-off, and I think that’s kind of what’s been said around [TriStar], it would definitely be a one-off, but for that kind of money and that kind of hype, of course he would do it. He would at least try it.”

Do you agree with Elias Theodorou’s statements here? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 2/23/2017.