The adolescence of Georges St-Pierre
MANILA, Philippines - “Damn right I like the life I live, ‘coz I went from negative to positive.” — Notorious B.I.G., Juicy
March 27, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey: The funky sampling of 1980s R&B group Mtume’s hit Juicy Fruit resonates in the Prudential Center for the main event of UFC 111: St-Pierre vs Hardy. There it was, one of the greatest rags-to-riches rap songs of all time, welcoming one whose shoe fits. Swathed in a gi and a karate bandana, the UFC welterweight champion bounced his way through the tunnel and on to the cage.
Over six months later, across the Pacific, on a typically busy morning in Quezon City, the elegant dining area of a 14th floor restaurant stretches wide and leads to a backroom where a jetlagged Georges St-Pierre’s holding interviews.
There are photographers, facilitators, writers, the fighter’s team, and security personnel, among others, filling the room. It would have to do. This is as close to a breather the champion would get in his Philippine visit.
With President Aquino abroad, St-Pierre, better known as “GSP,” seems to have risen to number one on the local media’s hitlist. Built like a rock at 170 pounds and a smidge under six feet, he doesn’t seem fatigued.
Dojo sanctuary
GSP hails from Saint-Isidore, Quebec which is home to less than 3,000 mostly French-speaking Canadians. His childhood was matted with problems both at home and in school. He recalls bullies taking his clothes and money, and having to learn karate as early as age seven to help him cope.
As a pre-teen, the young Georges began looking for a sanctuary. “The only place where I could find myself in a certain harmony was in the dojo,” he says. When he witnessed MMA legend Royce Gracie dominate UFC 1: The Beginning, he knew instantly that he wanted to make a career out of fighting.
For years, he trained in various disciplines en route to a 3rd degree black belt in Kyokushin, black belts in Gaidojutsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a tremendous MMA career. He’s the UFC’s premier posterboy, matching charisma with well-rounded skills both in stand-up and ground game backed by a 20-2 record.
His underdog beginnings allow him to empathize with Filipinos. He advises them to persevere, focus, and keep chasing their dreams like he did. Like most Filipinos of the past few generations, GSP grew up too fast. And like the Filipino people as a nation, GSP is still growing up.
He laughs when reminded of a recent interview he gave wherein he suggested masturbation to be good for fighters. This is the same man who defeated Karo Parisyan, Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, and Thiago Alves via unanimous decision.
Georges St-Pierre seems to be a mook trapped in a killing machine’s body. Obtaining a legacy is not the only thing that keeps him going. “I like the lifestyle. I have my own bus. The more I work, the more the results are there,” he says.
A quick Google search reveals enough images of GSP enjoying the company of scantily clad young women to provide an idea of what debaucheries happen on that bus.
No cocks fighting
At 29 and enjoying the prime of his career, GSP may again be facing bullies in the school of life, now after his legend. “Certain misconceptions about the sport need to leave. That it’s human cockfighting, and things like that,” says the man who wants to be remembered as the one who brought MMA mainstream. “There is a science to it. People, they don’t understand that.”
He embodies that science, dissecting opposition like an experiment. The cage is his laboratory, and he’s excited for his upcoming title defense against Koscheck, one who has not learned from his first time in the lab.
GSP is the cross-bred product of Dennis Rodman and Garry Kasparov: a happy-go-lucky thinking man with intense dedication to his craft.
He’s still growing, getting better, and catching fire. He knows what he wants. He’s just not sure how to do it yet. Rest assured, for a future MMA legend who is a good Tetris player and an avid fan of rap music, there are no worries — only opponents and women to conquer.
We are all witnesses. The adolescence of Georges St-Pierre will be televised.
