White: I don’t think GSP will retire on Friday

Ealier this week the French language Montreal Journal said that GSP is expected to reveal his intentions about his future about his future at a press conference on Friday. The French Canadian sports press does not always let the facts get in the way of a good story. This was in fact a previously scheduled store opening at a mall, and GSP may not have anything earth shattering to say.

UFC president Dana White downplayed expectations in an interview with Canada’s Sportsnet.

“He’s not making any announcement on Friday,” said White, as transcribed by MMAFighting. “This thing was planned for months. He’s going up to the opening of a mall. He’s signing autographs with fans and he’s doing ten minutes with the media. People were talking about he called a press conference and all these other things.

“I’m not saying he might not having something to say in these ten minutes, he might, but it’s no crazy announcement like everyone was saying earlier.”

“Georges St-Pierre never said to me, ‘I’m thinking about retiring.’ The retirement word never came out of his mouth. Normally, when guys even think about retiring in this sport, you probably should. This isn’t the type of sport where you’re wishy washy one way of the other. You’re either in or you’re out. I don’t think he’s going to retire. I do know that he wants some time off, which is an issue, because he just had over a year off for his ACL surgery and recovery. We’ll see. I’m scheduled to talk to Georges St-Pierre on Thursday when he gets back from his vacation. We’ll see where we’re at.”

White also discussed the aftermath of UFC 167 last month.

Immediately after GSP’s split decision victory over Johny Hendricks, the champion made ambiguous remarks about needing time off, maybe forever, citing unnamed personal issues. This is turn spurred White to remind St-Pierre that as champion he can retire, but cannot shelve the title for an indeterminate period of time, while he sorts out whatever is beleaguring him.

White said further that the thought the decision was terrible, and that the #1PPV draw in the company lost the fight.

Those remarks drew the ire of Canadian MMA pioneer Kristof Midoux, who took Georges St-Pierre under his wing when the champion was only 16, and has served as a mentor since. In an interview with the French Canadian press, Midoux said that the next day White rewatched the fight, thought GSP won, and apologized.

White said plainly that that did not happen.

“I know that this guy who cornered him last time, who he first saw fight, said something like I said ‘I watched the fight again and thought that he won.’ That’s not true,” said White. “I’ve not watched the fight again and I never said that. Just to clear that up.”

White did however try to smooth some ruffled feathers however.

“Just for the record while we’re on TV here in Canada, there’s no doubt that I had a bit of a meltdown at the last press conference. But who’s ever said more positive things about Georges St-Pierre in the last 13 years than me? Seriously. I mean if I had 475 Georges St-Pierre’s my life would be very easy. My days would breeze by if everybody was a Georges St-Pierre or acted like Georges St-Pierre.”