After reclaiming the welterweight crown in 2008, Georges St-Pierre would not lose his status as champion in the Octagon ever again.
Enjoying one of the most illustrious careers in mixed martial arts history, Georges St-Pierre is one of just 13 two-division titleholders in the promotion’s vast history.
Returning to stop Michael Bisping in a four-year hiatus-snapping comeback, St-Pierre made good on a middleweight move with a rematch lurking, however.
But refusing to share the Octagon again with a star who pushed him to his absolute limit, St-Pierre somehow emerged with one of his most contentious victories.
Georges St-Pierre’s narrow win over Johny Hendricks
Defending his welterweight crown a total of nine times in his second reign as gold holder, St-Pierre can count himself more than lucky to emerge with a win in his final divisional walk.
Pitted against the powerhouse wrestler Johny Hendricks on this day in 2013, Canadian star St-Pierre was bruised and bloodied over the course of five rounds — and even beaten in many fans and pundits’ estimations in their UFC 167 clash.
Emerging with the narrowest of split decision wins over the knockout ace, St-Pierre would infamously call time on his career immediately post-fight, giving up his belt with Hendricks eventually breaking through as champion.
Describing himself as “obsessed” with Hendricks and having gone “crazy” thinking about the matchup, St-Pierre was rocked and almost stopped on the feet by the challenger, before launching an expletive after a failed last-ditch kimura attempt en route to a controversial win.
Georges St-Pierre refused Johny Hendricks rematch
Upon his stunning return to the UFC back in 2017, the Canadian hero was linked to a potential re-run with Hendricks, who had made the move to middleweight following weight issues at 170lbs.
And getting off to a good start in the division with a hard-fought win over Hector Lombard, Hendricks would suffer stoppage losses to Tom Boetsch and then Paulo Costa before his Octagon exit.
Addressing a rematch with Hendricks, who had gone 3-6 in his nine fights post-St-Pierre, the former pound-for-pound kingpin claimed the challenger of his era was “gone” at the highest level.
“I believe the best Johny Hendricks I’ve seen is gone,” St-Pierre said in 2017. “When he fought Jon Fitch, Martin Kampmann, Carlos Condit – when he fought me – I think this Johny Hendricks is gone.
“I didn’t feel the same pop, the same explosiveness. Maybe he’s going to prove [me] wrong at 185 [pounds], but I feel he’s not the same anymore,” St-Pierre continued.