Former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre will be returning to the UFC after a three year absence to fight UFC MiddêŠleweight Champion Michael Bisping.
Even though he has a new deal with the UFC, the former welterweight champion is still a part of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association (MMAAA).
âA lot of guys are fighting and theyâre still part of the association. One thing that I am not, I am not a coward,â St-Pierre explained on . âAnd itâs not because Iâm back in UFC that Iâm going throw (away) all of these who had the courage to step up with me, and Iâm going to let them down. Iâm not like that. What I said was true, what I believe. I believe some of the fighters, they donât have their fair share of the pie. And I still do believe it.â
GSP hasnât competed since defeating Johny Hendricks by decisiođ°n at UFC 167. The former welterweight kingpin feels that having the MMAAA around is good for the UFC in the long run.
âI didnât see the association as me not coming back,â St-Pierre said. âI see the association as something that could work with UFC for the benefit of the fighters. And I still believe it, as it is today. I donât think itâs a bad thing for UFC. In long run, it would be a good thing. I believe fighters need to upgrade their status. The thing, too, is UFC is a business, and of course a lot of fighters, sometimes theyâre not very well represented and they sign bad deals. Itâs not the UFCâs fault if [fighters] sign bad deals. Sometimes itâs because they make the wrong choice themselves. If youâre in business and the guy is ready to sign for peanuts, thatâs not necessarily the UFCâs fault sometimes. Itâs the fighterâs fault. So I think itâs up to the fighters to take the initiative for themselves as well. It goes both ways. I think the association can be positive for both sides.â
There is no date set yet for the upcoming bout between GSP and Bispinâg.