Before the UFC partnered last year with the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the biggest advocate for drug testing in MMA was Georges St-Pierre. He strongly believed everyone should be fighting on a level playing field. He also believed a lot of fighters were using performance-enhancing drugs.
St-Pierre was initially apprehensive about the partnership, but now he is re-entering the drug testing pool, a sure sign the man who never lost his title inside the Octagon is closer to a return.
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“We’re talking again and I’m starting the USADA process to be tested, I’m starting it (Wednesday) in Las Vegas,” St-Pierre told BloodyElbow.com. “Because to be eligible to fight, you need to be tested.”
Under USADA rules, fighters have to go through a four-month testing period. The Canadian didn't want a "free pass" and be exempt from testing the way Brock Lesnar was. Lesnar allegedly failed drug tests last month before and after his UFC 200 victory over Mark Hunt.
“He had a free pass, I think it was an exemption of a month or something like that,” St-Pierre said. “But me, I don’t want to be an exception, because I was very outspoken about performance-enhancing drugs. It would be bad for my reputation if I would have an exemption. I don’t want to have a free pass, I want to be like everybody else. That’s why I’ll be starting the process (Wednesday).
“I don’t have any fight yet, but it’s going to happen now, because I’m getting tested. If I’m getting tested it’s for a reason.”
Since a return seems closer than ever, the question now is: Who will be the return opponent? St-Pierre, 35, had stated a desire to fight current middleweight champ Michael Bisping, but Bisping will make his first title defense against Dan Henderson at UFC 204 in October. A blast from the past has entered his mind, too: Nick Diaz, whom GSP bested at UFC 158 by unanimous decision.
“It seems to me like it’s Nick Diaz that is running for another shot at me," St-Pierre said. "I wouldn’t mind, I’m not afraid of Nick Diaz, I’ll tell you, I am telling you right now: If it’s what the fans want to see, I’m in.
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“I don’t care if it’s the first, or second, or third (fight). If they want me to fight Nick Diaz it would be my pleasure. I don’t mind, I am not afraid of Nick Diaz, I beat him last time and I’ll beat him even worse, I’ll beat him way worse next time that I’ll fight him.
“I beat him last time easily, but I was not happy. It’s one of these fights that I’m not happy with because I didn’t feel like I gave enough, for different reasons. It left me angry, that fight, when I look back at it. Maybe I won, but for some reason it left me angry and I feel like I could have done so much better.”
Steven Muehlhausen is an MMA and boxing writer and contributor for Sporting News. You can find his podcast, The Fight Club Chicago and subscribe on iTunes . You can email him at [email protected] and can find him on Twitter @SMuehlhausenMMA.
