The return of GSP to the octagon was among the most anticipated events of 2017. While the UFC had potential the Conor McGregor hiatus left the octagon free of superstars – which resulted in expedited return of Georges St.Pierre. However what nobody counted on was that the now former Middleweight champion won’t be able to defend the title due to health issues.
St.Pierre has been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers (sores) in your digestive tract.
“There was something very obviously wrong,” Danaher told Ariel Helwani. “Georges was having serious medical problems two weeks into the camp and they persisted throughout, they peaked, in a six week camp, between week 4 and week 2, out from the main event. Things got so bad that we lost two weeks with zero training.”
“That is a definite possibility,” he said. “I don’t want to say yes or no because it’s not my decision, really. These are deeply personal decisions that Georges has to make. More over, they have to be made not as spur of the moment decisions. These are life-changing decisions, so they will have to made on the basis of Georges’ reaction to the medications that he’s taking for ulcerative colitis.”
Georges St-Pierre’s jiu-jitsu coach John Danaher describes stressful situation that almost forced GSP to pull out of his UFC 217 title fight with Michael Bisping 😳. Watch #TheMMAHour LIVE: https://t.co/LhsTRQ4VCo pic.twitter.com/tHay4gM1qG
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) December 11, 2017
“From what I understand, the standard medications for ulcerative colitis take a considerable amount time to take effect, anywhere from three to eight months before you’ll even notice any changes. We have to see how he reacts to his medication regiment and make a decision based on that.”
“My personal opinion is there’s literally nothing more he needs to do in the fight game. That would be my personal opinion, but that’s what I said last time,” Danaher said, before adding a tantalizing possibility. “He could, if it was possible, get to 155 and get a third belt. If he did that, that would be incredible. But can Georges make 155? I don’t know. As far as I know he’s never gone that low. He’s not a particularly big welterweight. I know there are people fighting currently at 155 that are physically larger than Georges is.”
