Transitioning to the world of MMA.
Former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre (GSP) has always boasted an impressive retinue of coaching staff, including names like Greg Jackson, John Danaher, and Firas Zahabi. For his upcoming comeback fight against Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping at UFC 217, it appears GSP will add legendary boding trainer Freddie Roach to that list.
GSP and Roach have worked together on and off for several years, but for this camp, Roach has flown back and forth from Los Angeles to Montreal every week to train GSP.
“I’ve never been an elite MMA trainer, but Georges made me promise I would work his corner and I’m holding up to that,” Roach told ESPN.
This will be the first UFC fight Roach has ever cornered, but he feels comfortable:
“This might be a little different than boxing, but it is combat sports and I know how to fight. I used to be a wrestler in high school. I was never a great wrestler but I have an idea on it and watching it during camp has given me a better idea. Everyone in the corner is real friendly with one another and I will give the best information I can in there on fight night, and it won’t be strictly boxing.”
The inclusion of Freddie could be an indication that St-Pierre intends to box with the British striker. Should Pierre win, he is contractually obligated to defend the belt against phenomenal boxer and interim champion Robert Whittaker.
But Roach has made it clear that Georges will stick to the well-rounded game he is known for:
“Everyone is talking about Bisping’s size, but I say, ‘Hey, I love fighting big guys. Tall guys give you a bigger target obviously, and are a lot slower. I think this guy is made for us. He says he doesn’t think we can outbox him. We can and we will outbox him. If a [standup fight] happens, then is happens. But the thing is, if we have other opportunities to do things Georges is more accustomed to doing, we will do that.
“Believe me, we’re not going to be like Ronda Rousey, where someone told her she was a good boxer when she was winning every fight of her life on the ground. I’m not going to lie to my fighter. We’ve been working on everything and will take advantage of everything.”
Roach also admitted, personally, he’d welcome a fight against McGregor.
“McGregor is a cocky kid and he did OK in his fight against Floyd Mayweather. I would just say OK. I would enjoy that fight and I would like to see that fight happen. It’s possible.
Right now, we’re just concentrated on this fight. The thing is, we have a three-fight contract with [UFC president Dana White] and we have to win every one for the contract to go on. If everything goes well and Georges wants to retire at the end, that’s up to him. If he still has fight in him, and if I still have fight in me, we’ll go on from there. I’m sure he’ll receive many offers. Bigger and better offers.”
What do you think of boxing great Freddie Roach cornering Georges St-Pierre?
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