Georges St-Pierre’s UFC title reign: All the details
Georges St-Pierre is widely considered the greatest welterweight in MMA. This article takes a closer look at St-Pierre’s UFC title reign, highlighting the number of successful title defenses, notable opponents, and the significance of his reign in the welterweight division.
Georges St-Pierre’s UFC title reign in the UFC’s welterweight division is nothing short of legendary. After winning the title for the first time against Matt Hughes at UFC 65, ‘Rush’ immediately lost it to Matt Sera at UFC 69. However, St-Pierre won the interim title in his rematch against Matt Hughes and became the undisputed champion after beating Matt Sera in their rematch at UFC 83 in April 2008.
St-Pierre set a UFC record for the most successful welterweight title defenses with nine victories.
Notable Opponents
Georges St-Pierre defeated some of the most elite challengers the division could throw at him. Some of the notable opponents he successfully defended his title against include:
Matt Hughes: Georges St-Pierre fought Matt Hughes three times in his UFC career, having lost his first title bid to the American at UFC 50 in October 2004. While Hughes defeated the Canadian star via first-round submission in their first fight, St-Pierre redeemed himself by winning the welterweight title via second-round TKO in their rematch at UFC 65. In their trilogy bout at UFC 79, ‘Rush’ secured a second-round submission to win the interim title.
B.J. Penn: Georges St-Pierre fought B.J. Penn twice. St-Pierre managed to grind a split-decision win over Penn in their first meeting at UFC 58 to secure a title shot against Matt Hughes. He beat the Hawaiian again at UFC 94, giving Penn a thorough beating, eventually causing the Hawaiian’s corner to throw in the towel after Round 4.
Matt Serra: Georges St-Pierre has a record of 1-1 against Serra and lost his title to ‘The Terror’ at UFC 69 via first-round TKO in one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. However, the Canadian fighter redeemed his loss in their rematch at UFC 83, where he won back the UFC welterweight title by forcing a second-round stoppage.
Nick Diaz: Georges St-Pierre beat Nick Diaz at UFC 158 after one of the most heated build-ups, breaking the Stockton slugger down with precise jabs, leg kicks, and takedowns. He maintained strong top control to eventually outmatch Diaz 50-45 on all the scorecards at the end of five rounds.
Significance of Georges St-Pierre’s Reign
Georges St-Pierre’s reign as the UFC welterweight champion holds immense significance in MMA history. His dominance in the octagon, exceptional skill set, and unwavering commitment to excellence cemented his status as one of the greatest to ever do it.
During St-Pierre’s time as champion, he was known for effectively neutralizing his opponents’ strengths and capitalizing on their weaknesses. St-Pierre was a force to be reckoned with in every aspect of the game, from out-wrestling dominant wrestlers and nullifying dangerous strikers to displaying superior ground control and submission defence.
Legacy
Georges St-Pierre is widely considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, and his name is frequently brought up in conversations, including names like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Demetrious Johnson.
St-Pierre wasn’t just a two-time welterweight champion. After a hiatus of about four years after his last win against Johny Hendricks, ‘Rush’ returned to challenge Michael Bisping for the middleweight title at UFC 217. St-Pierre submitted the Englishman in the third round to become a two-division champion.
Conclusion
Throughout his reign, St-Pierre faced some of the toughest welterweights in the sport and consistently defeated top-ranked fighters to erase any doubt of his greatness. Georges St-Pierre’s legacy as one of the all-time greats is firmly established, and his impact on the welterweight division and the sport will be remembered for years to come.
