E523 Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre, a former UFC champion, reveals the mental and psychological challenges he faced as an elite fighter, including his obsession with perfection and his sharp awareness of the risks of fighting.

Georges St-Pierre was a perfectionistic, obsessive-compulsive fighter who constantly agonized over potential negative outcomes before fights.

St-Pierre discusses his obsessive nature, indicating that he may have obsessive-compulsive tendencies though not officially diagnosed. This nature led him to endlessly calculate outcomes even subconsciously, an attribute he believes can be valuable for athletic performance. Nevertheless, he acknowledges the importance of knowing when to let go, comparing it to punching in and punching out; sometimes a difficult but necessary discipline.

St-Pierre admits to enduring an extreme level of nervousness leading up to fights, as he always perceived fight day as the worst day of his life. This nervousness resulted in a poor night's sleep and waking up feeling anxious on the day of the fight. Even after his fights, he would often feel ashamed and not proud, especially following a loss, which led him to seek the assistance of a sports psychologist.

The fighter describes preparing for fights by visualizing a plethora of scenarios, including negative outcomes. He stressed the importance of ending these intense visualization sessions on a victorious note to avoid mental scarring. For instance, if he visualized getting dropped in a fight, he would always end the scenario with himself regaining control.

St-Pierre viewed fighting as a necessary sacrifice to achieve the freedom and lifestyle he desired, despite deeply disliking the act of fighting itself.

St-Pierre frankly stated that although he appreciated the science of the sport and enjoyed camaraderie during training, he found the act of fighting unbearable and extremely uncomfortable. The uncertainty of the outcome—getting hurt, humiliated, or achieving victory—made the process deeply disturbing for him. However, he endured this discomfort because he saw it as a necessary means to attain the life and freedom he desired outside the Octagon.

St-Pierre credits his ability to step outside his comfort zone and learn from failures as key to his success, in contrast to others who stayed in their comfort zones.

Georges St-Pierre highlighted the necessity of stepping out of one's comfort zone for improvement—a practice he regularly adopted, unlike many athletes who choose to remain within their familiar zones. ...

In the combat sports landscape, few organizations hold as much sway and influence as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Georges St-Pierre, a former champion, provides a candid perspective on the challenging business dynamics and politics within professional mixed martial arts (MMA), particularly in relation to the UFC and its president, Dana White.

St-Pierre had many clashes with UFC president Dana White over control and compensation, as his leverage increased as a champion.

The transcript reveals that St-Pierre's relationship with Dana White was often contentious, framed as a "chess game" based on their conflicting interests. These confrontations were rooted in St-Pierre's growing power as a champion, which afforded him the leverage to push back against the UFC on certain demands.

St-Pierre indicates that his leverage allowed him to assert his interests more forcefully than other fighters might have been able to do. As his value to the organization grew, so did his bargaining position. He speaks about the importance of getting a share of the pay-per-view revenue to motivate him to participate in promotions and interviews. St-Pierre also notes that as a champion, his time became more valuable and this changed the dynamics of negotiations.

St-Pierre advises that fighters should be well-managed and unafraid to negotiate for what they are worth, but he acknowledges that many in the industry may feel intimidated or unsure of how to approach such negotiations effectively.

The UFC's monopoly power made it difficult for fighters to have strong negotiating power, unlike in other sports with more competition.

St-Pierre discusses the UFC’s dominant position in MMA, likening it to a monopoly. Because the UFC is the most prestigious organization in the sport, it becomes difficult for fighters to hold a strong position in negotiations. Contrastingly, in sports where multiple leagues exist, athletes are often able ...

Former mixed martial artist Georges St-Pierre raises significant concerns about fairness in combat sports, discussing both the prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs and the debate surrounding transgender athletes.

St-Pierre is concerned about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in MMA and believes it gives some fighters an unfair advantage.

St-Pierre emphasizes the major problem with performance-enhancing drugs in MMA. He believes these drugs give fighters unnatural advantages in stamina, strength, recovery, reaction time, and even creativity. He shares his personal observations, witnessing the stark contrast in performance when his peers use such substances. St-Pierre's advocacy for drug testing during his career, especially before his fights against Hendrix and BGP, was driven by his commitment to the traditional martial arts values of respect and fairness. He felt that the system failed to support these values adequately, which contributed to his sabbatical from the sport for over four years.

St-Pierre wished the UFC had a more robust and independent drug testing regime when he was competing, rather than one controlled by the promotion.

St-Pierre criticizes the UFC's drug testing practices, pointing out that many champions faced losses when USADA enforcement began. This change hinted at the previous imbalance due to unchecked performance-enhancing drug use. With subtle hints about how athletes might avoid testing and the possibility of organizing defenses for failed tests using excuses like tainted supplements, he suggests that the UFC might prioritize profits over sport integrity. He advocates for independent drug testing to minimize corruption and conflicts of interest within the organization, citing examples of how critical test results could be suppressed by the promotion to protect profits from major events.

St-Pierre believ ...

Georges St-Pierre, widely known for his illustrious fighting career, is now finding equal success and fulfillment in entrepreneurial ventures and other interests, like paleontology, following his retirement from mixed martial arts.

Entrepreneurial Ventures Post-Retirement

Since retiring, St-Pierre has channeled his perfectionist drive and competitive spirit into his home fitness equipment brand, Base Block Pro.

Building Business with a Fighter's Mentality

St-Pierre discusses his involvement with Base Block Pro, noting that the products are designed for home training and sold internationally. He suggests that this entrepreneurial pursuit represents a shift from his fighting career to business. St-Pierre recommends kinesthetic training, which uses body weight, and emphasizes that his products cater to this form of exercise. He asserts that working out with body weight reduces the risk of injury and is more efficient than traditional weightlifting. He even personally offers to send some fitness equipment to the interviewer, Theo Von, demonstrating his active role in the enterprise and implying the personal connection he maintains with his brand and his customers. Reflecting on his transition, St-Pierre mentions, "I'm more of an entrepreneur now and that's my goal. I'm very lucky. I was able to transfer that, that hunger that I had in mixed martial arts. Now I transfer it into, you know, into a business."

Passion for Paleontology

While he remains a fan of paleontology, St-Pierre came to realize that he did not have the patience or meticulous nature necessary to be a successful paleontologist himself.

Engaging with Paleontology in Retirement

St-Pierre expresses his enduring love for pal ...

Georges St-Pierre, commonly known as GSP, shares personal stories that reveal his respect for wildlife and detail his journey from a bullied child to a mixed martial arts (MMA) champion.

St-Pierre had a profound experience trekking with mountain gorillas in Rwanda, which gave him a deep respect for the power and danger of wild animals.

St-Pierre recounts his adventure in Rwanda, where he went trekking with mountain gorillas. He describes an intense interaction with a silverback gorilla, where he realized his own vulnerability despite being a skilled fighter. St-Pierre was extremely cautious in the presence of the silverback, acknowledging the gorilla could have easily overpowered and killed him.

During the trek, St-Pierre followed strict guidelines: he was instructed not to eat, to avoid eye contact with the gorillas, not to run away but instead to move out of the way with a submissive posture if approached, to speak softly, and to never touch the females or the young. The silverback eventually acknowledged St-Pierre’s submissiveness by turning his back and looking over his shoulder, indicating he did not perceive him as a threat. St-Pierre expressed his awe at the muscle definition of the gorillas and recommended the experience, adding that the fees paid for the trek contribute to gorilla conservation in Rwanda.

St-Pierre was bullied as a youth, which motivated him to start martial arts training for self-defense, ultimately ...