It's official. Georges St. Pierre is Quebec's top Georges after defeating former NHL strong man Georges Laraque in a grappling competition Friday on a special edition of Off the Record with Michael Landsberg.
Watch the video here.
The two tough guys squared off at St-Pierre's Tristar gym in Montreal for three two-minute rounds. While Laraque had a distinct weight advantage, tipping the scales at 275 pounds, some 85 pounds more than the current UFC welterweight champion, St. Pierre was able to negate that advantage with his superior technical expertise.
"I'm sure that if I had shown him a couple of techniques and if he had trained as long as me, with his size, strength and power, he would beat me," St. Pierre told Landsberg. "But the knowledge that I have that he does not, that was the difference."
Although Larque lost all three rounds, St. Pierre was impressed with what he saw.
"I was surprised," St. Pierre admitted. "He's better than I thought he would be. I respect him a lot because he showed up. A lot of guys talk but don't show up."
Laraque, who was noticeably winded following the skirmish, was noble in defeat.
"That's much harder than an NHL game or a hockey fight," Laraque told Landsberg following the tilt. "It's unbelievable, I couldn't imagine fighting someone my own size."
Laraque was also in awe of GSP's strength.
"For his size, he's stronger than me."
As for a rematch on Larque's terms, don't get your hopes up.
"If we did the same thing on ice, I would lose," St. Pierre admitted. "But this is my game."
With another victory under his belt, St. Pierre will now turn his attention to Season 12 of the Ultimate Fighter where he will coach against the top welterweight contender Josh Koscheck. Following the season, the two will battle with St. Pierre's welterweight title on the line.
