PIERRE PRESSURE
‘I train as a pro’ – Georges St-Pierre ready to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in grappling match between UFC legends
GEORGES ST-PIERRE insists he’s still “training like a pro” - and is ready to finally face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a grappling match.
The Canadian UFC legend, 40, has long been tipped for an epic showdown against his fellow MMA icon.
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St-Pierre and Khabib, 33, were locked in talks over a money-spinning fight last year.
Despite the pair both being retired, UFC chief Dana White was eager to secure a historic showdown between two greats of the industry.
However, negotiations failed to progress and eventually collapsed.
But a year later, St-Pierre remains eager to take on Khabib in a pure grappling contest.
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The former welterweight and middleweight champion, with a 26-2 record, insists he is still training at the top level.
And St-Pierre believes in the right setting, former lightweight champion Khabib - who retired undefeated at 29-0 - could also be tempted.
He told : “I don’t know. I mean, listen, if it’s well organised…
“If there is some event that is well organised, is novelty fights or something, then maybe, why not?
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“I’m still in the entertainment world. I’m in great shape. I train still like a professional athlete. I still get it, you know what I mean?
“Even some of the guys, sometimes they tell me, ‘are you preparing a comeback?’ I’m like, ‘no, I’m 40 years old’.”
St-Pierre previously revealed how he would attempt to beat Khabib in the octagon, explaining: "I would take the centre of the octagon right away.
"Use a lot of feints, keep the fight all the way out or all the way in.
"What I mean by that is closing the gap very quickly and use my explosive takedowns to put him down.
"I like to use those takedowns because I think it's more economical [for energy]. Khabib is a much better chain wrestler than me.
"I wouldn't be afraid to wrestle him. Everyone I fought I was able to put them down.
"You would see him on his back and perhaps I would have been on my back as well. It would have been a very interesting fight.
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"In the clinch, I'd try to disengage. I have many tools to disengage the clinch.
"I would force the fight to be in a shoot-box distance, not wrestling distance."
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