Georges St. Pierre’s journey into the world of mixed martial arts began at a young age, training in Kyokushin Karate from the age of six under the guidance of Jean Couture. For ten years, St. Pierre dedicated himself to Karate, until the tragic death of his sensei from lung cancer when he was sixteen. Devastated, he considered quitting martial arts altogether. “When my Kyokushin Karate teacher died, I wanted to stop Martial Arts,” St. Pierre recalled. However, he chose to persevere, embarking on a new path that would eventually lead him to the cusp of his second UFC appearance at the age of 23.
St. Pierre’s transition to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu marked the beginning of his career in MMA, a career born from sorrow. “I don’t want to say this, as it is not a good thing, but when he died I started a new style of martial arts, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The fact that he died made me start my career in MMA,” he explained. His passion for fighting in the UFC was sparked by watching Steve Jennum win a UFC event on television. “I knew when I saw my first UFC, it was going to be my sport,” St. Pierre said.
St. Pierre’s UFC debut came at UFC 46, where he faced the heavily favored Karo Parisyan. Despite the odds, he secured a unanimous decision victory through effective ground-and-pound tactics. This success was a testament to his dedication and versatility in various martial arts disciplines.
As he prepared for his second UFC fight, St. Pierre remained acutely aware of the dangers inherent in the sport. “One of my friends got injured and now his career is finished. [My girlfriend] is always saying to me, ‘keep your mind open because this thing happened to your friend and it can happen to you.’ She wants to keep my eyes open,” he said, acknowledging the ever-present risk of injury.
Despite the risks, St. Pierre remained focused on his goals. In addition to his fighting career, he planned to start his first year of university in the fall to study sport science. Balancing his academic ambitions with his MMA career, St. Pierre trained rigorously with notable fighters such as David Loiseau, Steve Vigneault, and Ivan Menjivar at Tristar Gym in Montreal. He also trained with the Canadian Olympic wrestling team and boxed with Canadian Golden Glove champion Paul Clavette. His diverse training regimen prepared him for any challenge in the octagon.
With a professional MMA record of 5-0 and an amateur boxing record of 6-0, St. Pierre’s rise in the sport was meteoric. His victory over Karo Parisyan, a skilled Judo stylist, in his UFC debut was particularly impressive. However, St. Pierre remained grounded, understanding that each fight could be his last. His upcoming bout with Jay Hieron was another crucial step in his journey.
St. Pierre had previously trained with Hieron at Rodrigo Gracie’s academy in New York, making them familiar opponents. “They will not be strangers when they meet in the Octagon in Las Vegas,” St. Pierre noted. Despite the familiarity, he was prepared for a tough fight, drawing strength from his past experiences. “When I was at school all the guys tried to hurt me to have my money and tried to steal my clothes. I always fought. I got my ass kicked a lot of times in the street. When you are 8-9 years old and the other guys are 12-13, they are teenagers and you are a kid.”
Reflecting on his past, St. Pierre emphasized how far he had come. “The young kid who got hurt and beat up for his money and his clothes is no longer. Georges St Pierre the kid has ushered in Georges St Pierre the man and is making his way in the world, one step, one fight, and one dream at a time.”
As he looked ahead to his fight with Hieron and beyond, St. Pierre remained committed to his dreams. Whether in the octagon or the classroom, his determination and resilience continued to drive him forward.