Roach: GSP to have actual private fights in camp
“During our six-week session we are going to have actual fights in my ring … We will have fights and they will be competitive and there will be no holding back.”
The great Freddie Roach appeared recently on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, and added further details about GSP’s planned six-week training camp at LA’s Wildcard Gym. The former UFC welterweight champion is going to endure the camp to see if he really wants to return. While the sport of MMA is moving towards limiting sparring to varying extents, Roach said GSP is going to have some real fights in camp.
“Based on the three day session we had, he was so positive and he was so good,” said Roach, as transcribed by Adam Guillen Jr. for MMA Fighting. “It was like the three best sessions we have ever had. There was nobody down here, it was very private. He had one of his bodyguards with him, actually not his bodyguard, one of his best friends.
“I told Georges, ‘If we do this, and we do make a comeback, how are we going to do it? Are we going to fight the top guy right away? Or are we going to build ourselves up a little bit?’ He said, ‘Well, I hope we can build ourselves up a little bit during our six-week session.’ During our six-week session we are going to have actual fights in my ring. Private, of course. But we will have fights and they will be competitive and there will be no holding back. Because that’s part of the process, is getting to know if you still want to do this. We got some guys that will come down and will help us out and give us an idea where we are at in the sport right now.”
Roach also said that his preference would be for St-Pierre to start with a tune-up fight, rather than a title shot.