Georges St-Pierre: Nick Diaz was rightful No. 1 contender over Johny Hendricks

[VCURamFan]

From MMAFighting.com:

hen you're a long-reigning champ with box-office clout like Georges St-Pierre, you mostly get what you ask for, even if you ask to fight someone below the man almost universally considered to be the welterweight division's No. 1 contender.

For most observers of the sport, that spot has been most recently inhabited by Johny Hendricks, based largely upon his 9-1 UFC record and a five-fight win streak, which included knockouts of T.J. Waldburger, Jon Fitch and most recently Martin Kampmann. But his run has also included two split-decisions, including a close May fight with Josh Koscheck. And that, apparently, has tinged St-Pierre view of Hendricks.

Partly because of the history between him and Diaz, partly because of Diaz's lengthy run of success, and partly because he felt Hendricks deserved a loss on his resume against Koscheck, St-Pierre felt more interest in fighting Diaz.

"According to me, I believe Josh Koscheck should have won the fight, so I didn't want to fight a guy that lost [to] a guy that I beat," he said at a Wednesday press conference at the Bell Centre in Montreal. "And I think for me, Nick Diaz is the No. 1 contender. He's proven himself many times before. There’s a story between us. It's a big fight everybody wants to see. Nick wanted to have that fight for a long time, I wanted that fight for a long time. Now it’s time to do it. When it's time to do it, you have to take the opportunity to do it."

Hendricks has been lobbying for a chance to fight St-Pierre since that victory over Koscheck.

Instead, he'll have to settle for a bout with Jake Ellenberger, a fight that will take place on the same night as St-Pierre vs. Diaz.

The good news? With a win, Hendricks is very likely to get the opportunity he's been chasing. Whether St-Pierre holds on to the belt or Diaz upsets him, Hendricks is likely to get the next crack at gold.

At least he'll have St-Pierre's words to provide some extra motivation.

"I truly believe [Nick] is the No. 1 contender," St-Pierre said. "I believe he’s the man to beat in my division. I want to be a champion. I want to fight the best guy. I don't want to fight the No. 3. I want to fight the guy who's ranked the best. And I believe the best right now is Nick Diaz. That's truly what I believe."

[wavetar]

Diaz fan boys who believe he won the fight with Carlos would have to agree, I suppose. I don't believe either one of them poses a serious threat to Georges, other than the ever-possible KO punch from Hendricks. I'm more excited to see the Condit-MacDonald rematch that night, myself.

Oh, and I think Ellenberger takes Hendricks too.

[rearnakedchoke]

i have to agree ... hendricks didn't deserve the shot in the first place .. i know dana shouldn't have said the kampman fight was the number 1 contender fight ... i also think koscheck won that fight .. it will just be worse with gsp ...

diaz shouldn't pose any problems either .. agree that the fight to watch is condit/mcdonald

[amills]

i read this as gsp saying that 1)Diaz will make me more money and 2)Hendricks might pull a Serra.

[rearnakedchoke]

Originally Posted by amills

i read this as gsp saying that 1)Diaz will make me more money and 2)Hendricks might pull a Serra.

i can see the first thing .. a lot of fighters who get paid more with ppv sales do this .. anderson doesn't want to fight chris weidman, not because he is afraid of weidman, but that would do crappy in ppv sales imo ... why else does he want to fight ppv king gsp .. LOL .. and i think a gsp hendricks would sell, not as much as gsp diaz ...

as for the second point .. guys like thiago alves, carlos condit and dan hardy were supposed to serra gsp ... hendricks in his fights against story and kos was exposed as for what kinda fighter would pose problems .. not saying gsp can't get caught, just not great chances!