VIDEO | Freddie Roach Wants Georges St-Pierre to Go Back Down to Welterweight

There’s no rest when it comes to being a champion, especially one who comes back after four years and puts on a performance like Georges St-Pierre did at UFC 217. Everyone wants to know what is next, especially fighters like Robert Whittaker and Tyron Woodley. Even though the Powers That Be have said a defense against Whittaker is next, Freddie Roach thinks St-Pierre’s future fights should be contested at lower weights even after successful middleweight experiment.

“I was a little concerned [with Georges St-Pierre’s stamina]. It was obviously a fast-paced fight, and he did box very well in the first round, and I was very happy with it. [Michael] Bisping is a very tough opponent. He came back in the second round. I think moving up in the weight division, I am not sure that’s his best weight division or if we will fight there again. We will see where it goes. The weight got to him. He’s not used to carrying that much weight, and it fatigued him quicker than usual. Again, we will work it all out and get together with the whole team and discuss what the next best move is for Georges.”

The atmosphere last night at MSG was unreal… Feeling great today – Thanks everyone for making this the best night of my career!!! Merci! pic.twitter.com/4aYEAlnrgC

— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) November 5, 2017

“I think I would like to go to the lower weight division, back to the weight that he’s more comfortable with and more used to. But the thing is, that might not be available at this point. We do need to work that out with the promoter. One thing about UFC, usually what they say goes. Conor McGregor wants to be the boss now, wants to be the promoter or co-promoter, from what I’ve read about him and so forth. But he does have the contract and I’m sure he has to follow it like everyone else.” — Freddie Roach speaking on post-UFC 217 The MMA Hour. 

Of course, all this is just the words of Freddie Roach at this point, but the path it paints does make sense. Georges St-Pierre told about how defending over and over for so many years was downright claustrophobic. He could relinquish the UFC middleweight title, then go back down to fight Tyron Woodley to decide who really is the best welterweight in all of UFC history. As far as Conor McGregor goes, we all know he can fight whoever he wants, no matter how impossible it seems.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 11/7/2017.