Georges St-Pierre responds to rumors that his drawing power has diminished

Georges St-Pierre‘s UFC 217 shot at Michael Bisping’s middleweight title has generated plenty of controversy. St-Pierre, after all, hasn’t fought since November of 2013, and has never before fought in the middleweight division. Needless to say, he’s far from the most deserving middleweight contender in the traditional sense.

That being said, the reason for Georges St-Pierre’s title shot is pretty clear: the UFC is hoping to bank on his name, and cash in with a big-selling pay-per-view.

Unfortunately, it’s starting to sound as though St-Pierre is not the star he once was, as fan interest in the UFC 217 main event seems tepid, and ticket sales for the card are apparently a little slow.

Speaking to MMAJunkie.com at a UFC 217 media day in Montreal earlier this week, St-Pierre addressed the possibility that his drawing power has diminished. For him, this is apparently not important. He claims his priority is simply to fight and win.

“I do not focus on that,” he said. “I don’t even care. I don’t care. I would rather make zero dollars and win my fight than make $10 million and lose my fight. This is my word, and I swear it’s true. It’s always been like that, even when I was poor. I want to win, and I don’t care about (money or recognition). They’re going to know me after I win.”

“I want to win the title,” he continued. “I’m happy that I got everything lined up for a fight and it’s the best training I can do and lifestyle and everything. I’m happy to be here. I’m very scared and stressed and afraid to fail, but that feeling makes me better. I’m happy to be here.”

Do you think UFC 217 will sell well with Georges St-Pierre at the helm? Join the conversation in the comments section!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 10/26/2017.