April 7, 2007 was the night Georges St-Pierre and the rest of the MMA world learned a very valuable lesson, anybody can beat anybody on any given night. The welterweight champion and heavy favorite George St-Pierre fought challenger Matt Serra at UFC 69. St-Pierre was one of the most exciting fighters in the sport, fresh off of a stoppage against Matt Hughes at UFC 65. Serra had earned a shot at the belt by winning season four of The Ultimate Fighter, The Comeback. At a glance, this fight looked like nothing more than a easy title defense for the new champion who appeared to be unbeatable. St-Pierre, who in every aspect should have had an advantage over Serra, found out how quickly one punch can change everything. It was just a small slip that started it all, followed by a right hand from Serra and then a flurry of all the technique and ability Serra possessed. It seemed almost impossible. “Is this really happening”, I asked myself as the champ crumbled to the mat and referee John McCarthy stepped in to save the fallen fighter from any further damage. Less than a round is all it took for Serra to leave St-Pierre battered and beaten; less than a round to change St-Pierre forever.
Although St-Pierre took his belt back from Serra at UFC 83 in the dominant manner he was expected to win the first time the two fought, St-Pierre had lost more than his belt in the first fight, he lost his killer instinct. Since the first Serra fight the champ has never been the same, not even close. The St-Pierre of old was an exciting fighter with a tremendous skill set and the ability to finish opponents on their feet and on the ground. Since his loss against Serra at UFC 69, St-Pierre has turned into the safest champion the UFC has. UFC 129 was the straw that broke the camels back for me. Over 55,000 people paid a gate totaling over $12,000,000 primarily to see the bout between St-Pierre and Jake Shields. UFC 129 was top to bottom one of the most exciting fight cards I have ever witnessed. Phenomenal finishes were plentiful on that night and not a single fight lacked excitement. Anticipation grew even higher as the sold out Rogers Center reached deafening levels of excitement from fans as the champion entered the cage. What ensued was something all to familiar, a fight that left excited UFC fans’ spirits deflated, disappointed and wanting much more. I left that night along with 55,000 other fans wanting to be excited about all the great fights that took place before the main event, but I just couldn’t be due to the excitement that was taken while watching round after agonizing round of the final bout between St-Pierre and Shields.
I have had this feeling before following St-Pierre’s fights at UFC 100, UFC 111 and UFC 124. The first time George St-Pierre apologized for not finishing a fight I forgave him, along with the second and the third. At some point, his charm will run out and he will have to put on a fight worth watching. George St-Pierre has the ability to finish opponents, but refuses to take any risk to get a stoppage. At $45 for each pay-per-view and much more than that to attend an event live, is it too much to ask for an exciting main event? I for one am tired of George St-Pierre getting a free pass fight after boring fight. I sincerely hope that GSP will regain that killer instinct, but as long as he can fight to a safe decision and yet remain the sport’s most prominent figure, I doubt he will change.
Fight and event facts from sherdog.com