Georges St-Pierre admits that he’s a lot better at fighting than he is at trading insults with an opponent.
Georges St-Pierre broke into the UFC in 2004, and for nine years he dominated the welterweight division. In the cage, he was a beast. But on the mic, he wasn’t known as bombastic or controversial. He was very much the Canadian stereotype - humble, reserved, and somewhat quiet.
Sure, there were incidents where the UFC tried to get him to talk up fights. Every longtime fan remembers him awkwardly telling Matt Hughes he was not impressed with his performance at UFC 63. GSP has since stated that he regrets saying it, and it was “low class”.
There’s another reason he doesn’t do it much, and it’s something he freely admits - he’s just not good at it (transcribed by MMA Fighting):
“I don’t trash talk. I am like I am. Because the new thing is to be like Conor McGregor, because he makes money, it’s good for him because he’s natural and he’s very good at what he does. And everybody thinks that’s how they’re going to make money.
“For me, I stay natural, I stay authentic to who I am, and I’m not good at trash talking, I’m just not good at it. If I try to do it, I’d make a fool of myself and I’m going to lose. First, English is not my first language, I think French in my head, and it’s like a rap battle, I’m just not good at it. I pick my fights very carefully, I fight where I’m strong.”
Of course, he’s facing off with Michael Bisping at UFC 217. And Bisping loves to talk. So it’s not surprising that St-Pierre has let it get the best of him a couple of times, even shouting some expletives at the UFC middleweight champion when he tried to start something backstage after a press conference.
Still though, GSP has mostly taken the high road, and that might be the best thing to do going into his November 4th title fight.