Dana White tires of waiting for GSP, gives Yoel Romero next middleweight title shot
Georges St-Pierre ended his more than three-year retirement in March and was granted the next title shot at middleweight champion Michael Bisping. That was much to the consternation of the slew of fighters, notably No. 1 contender Yoel Romero, who had earned the right at a shot via their performance in the cage.
But when St-Pierre, the legendary former welterweight champion, tweeted last week that he wouldn’t be ready to face Bisping until October at the earliest, UFC president Dana White chose to take action.
A message to Michael @bisping. pic.twitter.com/PYEg3Q0osV
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) May 5, 2017
White pulled the title bout from St-Pierre and announced that Bisping would next defend against Romero. Fox Sports Australia’s “UFC Fight Week,” first reported the news.
“I made this GSP fight, [and] we did a press conference [on March 3],” White said. “The thing was supposed to happen in July. Michael Bisping is going to have to defend his title now. We’re not waiting for GSP. [Romero] doesn’t need to voice his opinion on why he needs a title shot. He definitely deserves a title shot. He’s next in line. He’s the No. 1 ranked guy in the world.”
White did not announce when Bisping-Romero would occur.
The decision to give St-Pierre, who retired in 2013 and who hadn’t previously fought at middleweight in the UFC, irked many of the UFC’s best middleweights. Fighters from Romero to ex-champions Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold spoke out publicly against being forced to wait while St-Pierre got his shot.
White apparently got tired of waiting, as well.
“Georges St-Pierre is saying he will not be ready to compete now until November,” White said. “Who knows if that’s even the case? It could be next year.
“So we’re not waiting for Georges St-Pierre anymore. We’re moving on with the division, and Yoel Romero will get the next shot.”
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