Georges St-Pierre heaps praise on current UFC welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman: “He’s raising the bar”

Mixed martial arts legend Georges St-Pierre has shared some extremely high praise for reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

St-Pierre (26-2 MMA) is a former UFC ‘champ champ’ and is considered by most fans and pundits to be the greatest welterweight of all-time. During his reign atop the promotions welterweight division, ‘GSP’ defended his title nine times in a row. The Canadian superstar would eventually vacate the strap in November of 2013 following a narrow victory over Johny Hendricks.

While there are few individuals who would dispute Georges St-Pierre as currently being the greatest welterweight of all-time, there are some folks who believe Kamaru Usman has what it takes to surpass ‘GSP’ in due time. UFC President Dana White recently suggested that ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was knocking on the door of GOAT status.

Image via @ufc on Instagram (photographer not listed)

With that said, St-Pierre was recently asked to share his thoughts on the Welterweight GOAT conversation. Here is what the former division kingpin had to say:

“In terms of accomplishments, it’s different. I’ve done stuff that I believe he hasn’t done yet. But I’m gonna tell you the truth and as painful as it could be for any athlete to admit it, the athletes of today are normally better than the athletes of yesterday. As good as the athletes of today are, the athletes of tomorrow will be better. That’s how it is.” St-Pierre said (transcription via MMAJunkie). “I don’t care who you are. Even if you’re Usain Bolt, you beat the world record, in a few years there will be another guy that comes and beats your record. I don’t think it’s because the guys are better, it’s because the technology is better and it’s the same thing in mixed martial arts.”

Georges St-Pierre continued:

“We cannot measure the performance like in sprinting or in weight lifting, but we can only speculate and, of course, time for time, maybe he didn’t win 11 (title fights), but he’s raising the bar. And if I don’t admit that, that means I’m insulting the entire UFC roster. That means I’m saying the sport is regressing, and it’s not true. I believe the sport is getting better. Do I feel that if I go back in my prime and I could fight Kamaru Usman, I do think, yes, I could have done it. However, I know for a fact that as time goes by, guys get better.”

What do you think of the brutally honest comments made by mixed martial arts legend Georges St-Pierre regarding the Kamaru Usman and the Welterweight GOAT conversation? Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!