Wow…Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre returned with a huge statement at UFC 217. Where will GSP go from here?

During an insane event in the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, three titles changed hands. Featuring championship bouts in three divisions, the card achieved likely the best showing of the year for the UFC.

Rose Namajunas did the unthinkable, dethroning Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the women’s strawweight division. Joanna was previously untouchable, but ‘Thug’ Rose proved anyone can be beaten in MMA, yet again.

Over to the co-main event, video here, TJ Dillashaw became the two-time bantamweight champion. Although he started very strong, Cody Garbrandt was put away in emphatic fashion in round two.

To the main event, and it was a strange one, at least during the run-up. Fighting in an entirely new division, former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was granted an immediate title shot against Michael Bisping.

Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray USA Today Sports

GSP Cements GOAT Status

Having been inactive for four years since vacating the welterweight title, fans and fellow fighters found GSP’s return a little controversial. With so much hot competition at 185 pounds, it was indeed a confusing strategy to give GSP a title fight.

In the end, though, it paid dividends for the promotion. St-Pierre did his thing and literally put ‘The Count’ to sleep in the third round. The finish was as bloody as it was incredible to watch.

Check it out on the Youtube player below:

YouTube video

And NEW!!!!

Congrats to St-Pierre, who addressed his fans after the win:

“I’m not done [fighting even though] I spoke about retirement but Georges was the better man tonight. No excuses. He drove me out and congratulations.”

“This is not really my real weight, I did it for my challenge,” St-Pierre said. “There was a time in my career that I was too busy with one challenge after another. I was too small to fight at this weight but now I’ve put on muscle mass and I am comfortable here. I decided to take a shot because I took on some muscle mass.

“It’s about martial arts. It’s not about who has the biggest balls, It’s about technique and setting a trap with diligence. I was trying to prove that for my fans.”

UFC 217 Results

Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre — St-Pierre def. Bisping by technical submission (rear naked choke) at 4:23 of Round Three
Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw — Dillashaw def. Garbrandt by TKO (punches) at 2:41 of Round Two
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas — Namajunas def. Jedrzejczyk by TKO (punches) at 3:03 of Round One
Stephen Thompson vs Jorge Masvidal — Thompson def. Masvidal by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 x2)
Paulo Costa vs. Johny Hendricks — Costa def. Hendricks by TKO (punches) at 1:23 of Round Two
James Vick vs. Joe Duffy — Vick def. Duffy by TKO (punches) at 4:59 of Round One
Walt Harris vs. Mark Godbeer — Godbeer def. Harris by DQ (late hit) at 4:29 of Round One
Corey Anderson vs. Ovince Saint Preux — Saint Preux def. Anderson by KO (head kick) at 1:25 of Round Three
Mickey Gall vs. Randy Brown — Brown def. Gall by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 29-27)
Curtis Blaydes vs. Aleksei Oleinik — Blaydes def. Oleinik by TKO (retirement) at 1:56 of Round Two
Ricardo Ramos vs. Aiemann Zahabi — Ramos def. Zahabi by KO (spinning back elbow) at 1:58 of Round Three

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