UFC 129 Update: GSP Wants to be a “Real Champion”

Georges St. Pierre ignores critics; focuses on being “real champion”

Georges St. Pierre told Sherdog he is not listening to the suddenly growing gaggle of critics picking apart his game. They just can’t seem to finish telling us that GSP can’t finish. It’s getting old.

GSP has won 30 straight rounds. Granted, I think he was snoozing along with the rest of us during many of those rounds. Even he seems to understand the fans’ frustration.

“You want to finish. You want to take him out,” St. Pierre says. “I want to use my technique [and] my skills that way. It’s something I’ve been working on in training.”

GSP also said he is not underestimating Jake Shields.

“This time, the bar is raised much higher,” St. Pierre says. “I’m fighting a much better guy, but I welcome the challenge. I want to fight the best. I want to be the best. I don’t want to be a paper champion. I want to be a real champion, and to be a real champion, I need to fight the best contenders, the best guys. I consider Jake like a champion, too. He’s been a champion in many different organizations and different weight classes — something I’ve never done.”

So, okay, GSP said the bar is raised much higher for UFC 129. Does that mean GSP is putting more emphasis on finishing Shields than he normally would?

Probably not. GSP said he is trying to be a “real champion.” And real champs focus in one thing: Winning.

That said, I’ll take GSP in the third by submission,