Remembering the incredible story of UFC Hall of Fame inductee Georges St-Pierre meeting his childhood bully and turning his life around
There is a new name in the UFC’s Hall of Fame and you won’t find many who disagree with the decision to induct Georges St-Pierre.
The discussion about who is the greatest mixed martial artist regularly throws up three names; Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and GSP.
Georges St-Pierre is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time
While Silva and Jones have seen their respective careers dogged by accusations of wrongdoings inside and outside of the ring, St-Pierre largely avoided controversy throughout his career.
Never accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs or of ducking opponents, the Canadian became a two-weight world champion in the UFC and an inspiration to millions across the globe.
St-Pierre will enter the prestigious Hall of Fame as a member of the ‘Modern Wing’, joining Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015), Urijah Faber (2017), Ronda Rousey (2018), Michael Bisping (2019) – whom he beat for the middleweight title – and Rashad Evans (2019).
He visibly speechless when Dana White called him to tell him the good news, reiterating the many good things he has accomplished in life.
But the newest member of the Hall of Fame did not enjoy the storybook rise to the top many imagine; long before he was hoisting championship belts above his head, St-Pierre was regularly bullied at school.
As a friend of the welterweight great recalls on his personal website, GSP was mocked for his quirky appearance and suffered greatly at the hands of older class mates.
He wrote: “They could see him coming, he said, ‘because I was so ugly. I was easy pickings.’
“Before he could reach for the school’s front door, a group of 12-year-olds – held back three school years because of serious behavioural problems – would pounce on and strip him.
GSP was famed for his incredible athleticism and fight IQ, something he honed after being bullied
“Strip him of his pants, of his lunch money, and of his dignity before a laughing chorus of boys and girls.
“Everybody pointing fingers except for the shadows of his few true friends – other nerds, other rejects in hiding. The helpless.
“Georges St-Pierre was nine years old…”
During an interview with after his victorious middleweight title fight against Michael Bisping, GSP revealed he actually met his childhood bully many years later when he was travelling through his native Montreal. What unfolded next was astounding.
The Canadian became idolised across the globe and recognised as the greatest welterweight of all time
“I put down my window, he told the Joe Rogan Experience. “This guy, I swear this is true, is the guy who used to bully me in school. I say, ‘wait a second’, and I park my car.
“I say ‘what the hell are you doing here, man?’, and he’s like… He thought I would be angry. Now I’m world champion, now I could beat him up.
“So I say ‘what you doing here, man?’, and he says ‘well things aren’t going so well for me’. I was like ‘man, you’re a tall guy, you’re good looking, what are you doing here?’ So I give him everything I had left. I don’t know how much. A hundred or something.
“I said ‘get outta here, man, you’re full of potential, when I was younger I wanted to be like you, you were a tall guy man, you were good looking, you were full of potential’.
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“So I shook his hand and said ‘no problem’ and he said ‘thank you Georges’, and then I don’t hear about him.”
It transpired that years later the bully returned to GSP’s family home and actually went to thank the former king of the UFC 170lbs division.
The chat the pair had shared on the street inspired him to get a real job and get his life together, something he wanted to thank the fighter for helping him achieve.
St-Pierre’s foundation was set up with goal of helping younger people, tackling the issue of bullying and promoting physical activity in schools.
On his website, he has a number of helpful suggestions to help those who have been bullied.
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