Last time UFC Welterweight Champion, Georges “Rush” St-Pierre stepped inside the octagon was at the first UFC event ever held in Toronto. It was UFC 129 and he successfully defended his championship versus Jake Shields. That was April 30, 2011. Nineteen months after his last fight, he will once again set foot in the cage
Tearing his ACL, while training to fight Nick Diaz, sidelined the champion for nearly two years. Over that time, the landscape of the welterweight division has changed. Names like Martin Kampmann, Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger are top contenders at 170 lbs. While up and comers Erick Silva and Rory MacDonald are on the cusp of greatness. Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz to become the reigning interim welterweight champion.
On Saturday, November 17 at UFC 154, GSP and Condit will meet to decide the undisputed world welterweight champion. Condit comes to St-Pierre’s stomping grounds as UFC 154 takes place in Montreal at the Bell Centre.
Both GSP and Condit have trained together as part of Team Jackson. As such, neither fighter will have their coach, Greg Jackson, in their corner since he thought it only fair to both men to sit this one out. Condit fights with a killer instinct, while St-Pierre uses logic and game planning.
I don’t see GSP finishing Condit, but I do see him controlling the fight. St-Pierre Wins by Unanimous Decision.
Also on the card, a title eliminator between top 170lbs contenders Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks as well as standouts from Montreal’s Tri Star Gym, Francis Carmont, Nick Ring, Patrick Cote, John Makdessi and Ivan Menjivar.
Here’s my predictions for UFC 154
MAIN CARD
Georges St-Pierre over Carlos Condit via unanimous decision
Martin Kampmann over Johny Hendricks via submission, round 2
Francis Carmont over Tom Lawlor via TKO round 2
Constantinos Philippou over Nick Ring via unanimous decision
Mark Hominick vs. Pablo Garza via KO round 3
PRELIMINARY CARD
Patrick Cote over Alessio Sakara via KO round 1
Cyrille Diabate over Chad Griggs via TKO round 2
John Makdessi over Sam Stout via split decision
Mark Bocek over Rafael dos Anjos via submission round 2
Rodrigo Damm over Antonio Carvalho via unanimous decision
Ivan Menjivar over Azamat Gashimov via unanimous decision
Darren Elkins over Steven Siler via TKO round 1
I’ll be live tweeting throughout the event. Join the debate and follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/BigMarv204
