VIDEO | Georges St-Pierre Praises Michael Bisping But Scolds the UFC for Shanghai Booking

After Georges St-Pierre finished Michael Bisping, the former middleweight champion was eager for a quick turnarond against Kelvin Gastelum. It didn’t end up the way Bisping wanted it, also putting the UFC under fire for letting it happen. Bisping himself has recently opened up and admitted it might not have been a good move, but that he has no regrets. Georges St-Pierre spoke about the fight and displayed a lot of respect to his last opponent, but wasn’t happy with the UFC either.

“Medically, [Michael Bisping fighting Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Shanghai] was not the right thing to do. However, if he would have succeeded – you know, he took a big risk and me, I can accept that because he took a big risk – if he would have succeeded he would have been like a hero. It’s like, ‘Oh my God, he just lose the title and then he come back with no preparation, boom, wins a fight.’ I think he tried to do something that was very, very risky, but at the same time if he would have achieved it, it would have been a big reward for him. So I can respect that. For him, I can respect the idea that he had, the goal that he had doing it.”

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“However, I believe for the UFC, that was not good to let an athlete fight after getting concussed in a fight for the world title and then getting choked out. I don’t think it was medically a good thing for the UFC. But for Michael [Bisping], as a fighter, I understand his point of view. He wanted to turn around the table and he wanted to do something that was special and I can understand that because coming back after four years myself, it was a lot of risk, and I wanted to do something special and I succeeded, I’m happy I did it. Unfortunately for Michael, it failed. But I can respect that from a man.” — Georges St-Pierre speaking to TSN.

Georges St-Pierre has never been one to not speak out on something he believes in, this seems no different. Michael Bisping will take a well-deserved rest as we waits to book what is supposed to be his retirement fight in England. As far as St-Pierre, it looks like he may be vacating the UFC middleweight title and heading back to welterweight, but there is nothing written in stone at all. Even if both legendary fighters just decide to walk away from the sport completely, they have nothing to prove to anyone.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 12/7/2017.