Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 18, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 18, 2016 Yeah, it'll be a negotiation thing. It's all a big game of cat and mouse. It was obvious there was something snagging in the negotiations when Dana kept saying he didn't think GSP wanted to fight again while at the same time GSP was publicly saying on UFC Tonight that he was 100% coming back, had already started his 4 month USADA testing and was looking at being good to go in time for December when the UFC 206 Toronto PPV is. You'd think Dana would be all over a GSP return so for him to be saying he didn't think GSP was ever returning, when everything GSP is saying and doing is to the contrary, suggested there was some fuckery afoot behind the scenes holding up getting a deal done. Â I think it'll be ironed out in the end. It could get interesting if Bellator really go to town and make GSP a monster offer. But it's one of those things where everyone knows the UFC is where GSP should be and would rather be. And when it comes down to it, I can't see the UFC being OK with letting Bellator get hold of one of the biggest stars they've ever had and a former UFC champion who never lost the belt. Â It's surprising they've let it come to this though. Great for GSP though. He's in a really nice position now to drive his price up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted October 18, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 18, 2016 It really is odd that it's come to this. The only thing I can think of is GSP openly coming out saying that he needs a new deal now he doesn't have his sponsors. Â The ufc have refused to increase any other fighter's pay to incorporate a loss in money, so maybe they don't want to set a precedent? Â There must be something GSP isn't telling us here that's made the UFC take their offer off the table? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 18, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) I wonder if he's demanded the same or more than what McGregor's on? And I wonder if McGregor's got the old Hall and Nash 'favoured nations' thing in his contract if that's the case? Â But seriously, yeah there's definitely a piece to this story that we're missing right now. Just the fact that Dana's been playing down, and denying, the return of probably the best fighter the sport's ever seen speaks volumes that there's something big going on. Â I know GSP was pissed off with how they handled him after the Hendricks fight so it's not exactly like he left on great terms back in 2013. Remember that? GSP said at the time that he wanted to go to the post-fight press conference and a UFC staff member tried to stop him because Dana was already out there telling the media that GSP was going straight to hospital because Hendricks had fucked him up so bad. It sounded dodgy as fuck that. Then GSP came sauntering in in his suit and made Dana look like a right sausage. Edited October 18, 2016 by wandshogun09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted October 18, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 18, 2016 I would love to know the real figure he's asking for. Surely he's worth the $2M base that Diaz got for the McGregor rematch for starters. He's going to do at least 700,000 buys for his return fight depending on who it's with. If he were to get $5 per buy, then that would make up $3,500,000. That's $17.5M of the UFC's end of the PPV income left for them. If that's what he's asking for then that would be well worth it for them, not even getting into the extra money they could make on the gate for a GSP show. Â Maybe he's asking for more, maybe he's not, but the holdup has to be more than the money GSP wants. Like Lamby and Wand have said, there's something extra going on that's stopping the UFC making a deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 18, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 18, 2016 Here's a GSP quote from the time about that GSP/Dana/press conference thing... Â "What happened November 16th after the fight, I was waiting for the doctors for a while. Finally, they arrived, fixed me up, took my shower and put my tie on. I approached someone who worked for the UFC and asked where the press conference was. She told me I didn't have to go. I said 'No, there is controversy after my fight, I'd like to explain myself, and clear up things.' She said 'No it's fine, you don't have to go.' I told her that I was going to go. I started to walk towards the press conference and she started yelling at me, saying 'George you're not allowed to go ... you're not supposed to go.'" Â St. Pierre continued to explain the story to the surprise of many in attendance. Â "I said, 'Oh yeah?! I'm still going.'" Â That is when St. Pierre started to realize things were a little weird after taking his seat. Â "Everyone was white," he said. "Everyone was staring at me, surprised to see me. I did not know why. Then I thought, maybe something happened. I sit down, I do the press conference not knowing why, and afterward my friends told me a rumor was circulating that I had left in an ambulance. Dana White said I left in an ambulance and that was not true. I was completely fine. Two days later, I was playing volleyball." Â Still, St. Pierre has the utmost respect for his promoter. Â "As for Dana White, I'm not upset at Dana," he said. "He's a promoter, he's someone that is extremely intelligent, and I am on very good terms with Dana. He does his work. What he wants is to make a fight that is in the best interests of the UFC. Unfortunately, I am breaking those plans because I need a break." Sounds well dodgy to me. Obviously it wouldn't be the first time a fight promoter played silly beggars with the truth. But still, bit shitty. GSP doesn't seem that bothered by it in that quote but between that, then the way Dana chucked his toys out the pram because GSP was taking an indefinite break, the way Dana kept banging on how Hendricks was robbed against GSP, plus the whole drug testing stuff which GSP wanted improving...there was a fair bit of shit going on on top of GSP just being burnt out in general. I think GSP felt a bit disrespected with the way the whole thing was handled. So add all that to the financial negotiations, the sponsor issues with Reebok etc and it's not a straight forward thing. If it was just a straight forward money figure GSP was after, I'm sure they'd be able to come to an agreement on a figure. But it's probably partly the sponsor thing and partly something else we don't know about that's blocking a deal being finalised. Â I hope he doesn't end up in Bellator. While it'd be great for Bellator and good for the sport as a whole if someone the level of GSP shook up the MMA world and jumped ship, outside of that I've got no real interest in watching GSP in Bellator. There's no fights I'm that arsed about there for him and it just wouldn't look right. Talk about a big fish in a small pond. This would look like Stone Cold Steve Austin rocking up in ROH in 2002. For me the intrigue in a GSP return is 'can he still dominate in the UFC 170 division and win the title back?' If he's coming back to fight Lima or Daley or Koreshkov, as good as those fighters are, I'm not really that into it. And what if he's not the same and he loses to one of those guys? Three years out is an age in MMA terms. The comeback just doesn't seem worth the risk for the rewards he'd get beating Bellator opposition to me. If he's ever coming back, it needs to be in the UFC, on the biggest stage against the best opposition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted October 18, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) There are that many fights I would love to see him in with the current crop in the UFC that it makes my head hurt. A title fight against anybody. Lawler, Bisping, Cerrone, McGregor, Anderson, Nick Diaz again, Wonderboy, Maia, even a rematch with the shot to bits Hendricks. It'll be such a shame if it doesn't happen. Edited October 18, 2016 by WeeAl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 (edited) From what GSP said last month, a key stumbling block is his ongoing deal with Under Armour. That deal would have been signed before the UFC's deal with Reebok kicked in. Remember, GSP's current deal was signed in a different landscape. GSP is said to be the only UFC fighter with a deal with Under Armour, and he had instructed his manager to ensure he would keep it if he returned to the UFC. "It's my Manager's fight, not mine" was a quote of his.  GSP is too classy for Bellator. It's not just the "big fish in a small pond" thing either. When the likes of Ortiz, Rampage and Sonnen signed with Bellator, you could see how they fit together. Bellator's production is pretty low-brow, which is a part of its charm. They are the McDonalds of MMA. In contrast, GSP is like an expensive meal in a restaurant. He's a different type of star to those previously mentioned. The UFC's production has not always been the height of sophistication (Face The Pain), but it has always been the pinnacle of Western MMA throughout GSP's career. It always complimented GSP nicely. Edited October 19, 2016 by jimufctna24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theringmaster Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 From what GSP said last month, a key stumbling block is his ongoing deal with Under Armour. That deal would have been signed before the UFC's deal with Reebok kicked in. Remember, GSP's current deal was signed in a different landscape. GSP is said to be the only UFC fighter with a deal with Under Armour, and he had instructed his manager to ensure he would keep it if he returned to the UFC. "It's my Manager's fight, not mine" was a quote of his.  GSP is too classy for Bellator. It's not just the "big fish in a small pond" thing either. When the likes of Ortiz, Rampage and Sonnen signed with Bellator, you could see how they fit together. Bellator's production is pretty low-brow, which is a part of its charm. They are the McDonalds of MMA. In contrast, GSP is like an expensive meal in a restaurant. He's a different type of star to those previously mentioned. The UFC's production has not always been the height of sophistication (Face The Pain), but it has always been the pinnacle of Western MMA throughout GSP's career. It always complimented GSP nicely. 2 things-What a beautiful mixture of words that was and the whole thing was just made that much more effective when after reading your eyes met Mr McGuigan's face, almost just to emphasize the point.  But your 100% right, a main event slot against a former UFC fighter is not what GSP is about, to use your terms, GSP doesn't;t want to be the hardest chav who hangs about outside McDonalds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 GSP is basically the thinking mans Conor McGregor. He wears suits that actually fit him, is clean-shaven, can speak better English, and probably boasts a tasteful classical music CD collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chunk Posted October 21, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted October 21, 2016 GSP is basically the thinking mans Conor McGregor. He wears suits that actually fit him, is clean-shaven, can speak better English, and probably boasts a tasteful classical music CD collection. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted February 17, 2017 Author Paid Members Share Posted February 17, 2017 GSP has officially re-signed with the UFC. Â Ah shit! Â What's next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 (edited) GSP has officially re-signed with the UFC.  Ah shit!  What's next? This is from Sherdog. There's no shortage of fights for him. They forget to mention Maia, who was also linked to fighting GSP a while back. Personally. I think Nate Diaz is the most likely opponent.  St. Pierre has been absent from the MMA scene for more than three full years now, but talk of a possible return -- he reportedly agreed to terms on a new contract with the UFC on Feb. 15 -- continues to build, with Diaz, current welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, reigning middleweight titleholder Michael Bisping, Conor McGregor and Anderson Silva all mentioned as potential opponents. Edited February 17, 2017 by jimufctna24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daaaaaad! Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Got to be Bisping innit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted February 18, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2017 As Bobby The Brain would've said - "That is not fair to Yoel." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted February 18, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2017 If i had to pick, i'd go with Nate Diaz. History there, it's a winnable fight and it'll draw as big if not bigger than the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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