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Georges St Pierre vs. Michael Bisping – UFC 217 Preview


For years we’ve been left to wonder what would happen if Georges St-Pierre stepped back inside of the octagon, and next Saturday we’re going to find out when he challenges Michael Bisping for the UFC Middleweight Championship.

It’s a return that has been 4 years in the making and in a lot of ways, some fans didn’t want to see it happen. Why? Because if you’ve been paying attention as of late, the icons of yesteryear within MMA haven’t been doing all that well – with notable examples being Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones & Anderson Silva.

But GSP is a different animal, and many critics consider him to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. Of course, one of the reasons behind that is because of the failed drug tests of his nearest rivals, but the sentiment is still there.

With bookmakers like Paddy Power making Georges an 8/11 favourite it’s clear that the pressure is on, and that pressure won’t be helped by the ever-looming presence of the reigning champion Michael Bisping.

The Englishman has been working his way up to the top of the division for well over a decade now, and he’ll relish the ‘underdog’ tag as the biggest fight of his life draws ever closer.

The interactions between the two men have been escalating for quite some time now, and it seems as if Bisping has managed to successfully get under the skin of the former Welterweight king. With that being said, Georges’ wrestling abilities are sure to strike fear into Michael when they square off at Madison Square Garden.

With Bisping’s odds currently at ‘evens’ it’s clear that people still think he’s got a solid chance of retaining his belt, but the unpredictability of this affair is what’s going to intrigue people the most in New York City.

In terms of the future, you’d expect the winner of this bout to face interim champion Robert Whittaker in a unification bout, but logic tells us that it won’t be that easy. Both men have hinted at retirement following the fight and given the age of the two, they probably wouldn’t fancy their chances against the always dangerous Whittaker.

Of course, they are still warriors in their own right, and the main thing to focus on here is the fact that two of the greatest of all time are going to have one of the most hotly anticipated main events in UFC history.