Opinion: Do We Need a GSP Comeback?

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

After taking a two-year hiatus, former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre appears to be mulling a comeback to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Although there had been speculation as to whether he would be willing to step into the Octagon again, his appearance at UFC 196 and a few interviews in which he has seemed more optimistic than ever about making a comeback are signs that point in the right direction.

All things considered, do we need a GSP comeback? It’s an interesting question because the UFC hasn’t necessarily missed St. Pierre since he decided to semi-retire from competition after defending his title against Johny Hendricks in November 2013. While he won a decision, he absorbed a lot of punishment and promptly decided to vacate the title he had defended nine consecutive times. Since his departure, the welterweight division has been more exciting than it has ever been.

Robbie Lawler has been absolutely terrifying in his current reign as champion. Once St. Pierre departed, it opened the door for him to get a shot at the title. After he lost a “Fight of the Year” showdown for the vacant championship against Hendricks at UFC 171, he never looked back. A knockout of Jake Ellenberger was followed by an exhilarating performance against Matt Brown before Lawler claimed the title against Hendricks in their UFC 181 rematch. Then there were those two absolutely epic fights against Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit.

With St. Pierre gone, Lawler has participated in the “Fight of the Year” for both 2014 and 2015; and as of right now, it seems like he could be headed for another “Fight of the Year” award after the show he and Condit put together at the top of 2016.

Would Lawler’s scintillating ascent have been possible if St. Pierre had remained active? It’s truly hard to say. As much as we love St. Pierre now that he’s gone, we cannot forget about the complaints that came with his fighting style. For every one of us that enjoyed his tactical prowess, there were two more who despised his methodical grounding of an opponent. Although one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts history, he just wasn’t a ton of fun to watch. His grinding style left little drama for the fans. GSP fights often go the distance and, with the exception of the Hendricks fight, end up terribly one-sided. Again, he’s a brilliant fighter, but you’d be hard pressed to find a St. Pierre fight you would be willing to use to introduce someone to the world of mixed martial arts. A good comparison would be to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Greatness aside, there is often nothing but complaining at the bar when the final bell rings.

That stands in stark contrast to what Lawler has brought to the table in the absence of “Rush.” Lawler may not be the biggest star in the UFC, but watch the jaws drop whenever he fights. Many consider UFC 189 to be one of the greatest main cards in the company’s history. Well, that would have never been the case without Lawler’s involvement. He has become the heart and soul of the UFC, and his rise from the ashes is one of the greatest comeback stories we’ve seen in MMA.

It’s just difficult to say whether or not we have truly missed St. Pierre. Of course, it will be a big deal if he returns, but what role will he play? MacDonald has said that if GSP finds his way back into the Octagon, he’s not necessarily interested in another run at the UFC welterweight title and wants “super fights” -- but a super fight against whom? The Anderson Silva fight we salivated over for years has lost a ton of luster since “The Spider” lost twice to Chris Weidman, got suspended for a failed drug test and lost to Michael Bisping. Should he lose to Uriah Hall at UFC 198, it will be difficult to market a GSP-Silva showdown as a super fight. There were also rumors of a Conor McGregor fight, but with the Irishman’s momentum having been squashed at the hands of Nate Diaz, that potential bout doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Who’s left? Most of us would like to see GSP take on Lawler, but if St. Pierre doesn’t necessarily want to heed the demands of being a champion, what’s the point? If you eliminate the aforementioned names, you will be hard-pressed to find St. Pierre an intriguing dance partner for a super fight. It would just be a fight that has St. Pierre’s name attached to it.

If that’s the case, should the UFC go through all the trouble of restructuring his current contract and paying him top dollar in order to get him back in the fold? It could be more trouble than it’s worth. However, St. Pierre has been a great ambassador for the sport. As champion, he acted the part and never found himself on the wrong side of the law. Nobody has anything bad to say about GSP. Even if you are critical of his style, the man knows how to win and winning is really all that matters at the end of the day. He’s still the guy everybody wants to beat, but until they do, they must bow in his presence.

No, we don’t necessarily need a GSP comeback. Still, depending on why he returns, it could certainly make the UFC more interesting.

Andreas Hale is the editorial content director of 2DopeBoyz.com, co-host of the boxing, MMA and pro wrestling podcast “The Corner” and a regular columnist for Sherdog.com. You can follow on Twitter for his random yet educated thoughts on combat sports, music, film and popular culture.