Ex-champ Georges St-Pierre: Rory MacDonald deserves next UFC title shot

TORONTO – UFC welterweight contender Rory MacDonald wants a title shot in his next bout, and former champion Georges St-Pierre agrees he deserves it.

MacDonald took to Twitter on Tuesday to state his desire for the next 170-pound title shot. The Canadian recent earned a decision victory over Demian Maia in UFC 170’s “Fight of the Night” winner on Feb. 22.

“I do believe Rory deserves the next title shot,” St-Pierre, who attended a Bacardi Canada media event to promote his role as Bacardi Canada’s Social Responsibility Ambassador, told MMAjunkie on Tuesday. “I think he deserves it, and I do believe Rory will be champion.”

With MacDonald’s (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) lone defeat since early 2011 coming to Robbie Lawler (22-9 MMA, 7-3 UFC), who fights Johny Hendricks (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) for the vacant belt at UFC 171 on March 15, St-Pierre feels his fellow Canadian is among the top fighters in the division. He also believes MacDonald deserved the judges’ nod in that lone loss, which came via split decision loss to Lawler at UFC 167, though St-Pierre thinks the loss could serve as a necessary setback.

“The loss to Robbie Lawler made Rory a far more experienced and skilled martial artist,” St-Pierre said. “He has all the tools to be champion. I think he actually beat Lawler, who is one of the most dangerous guys in the division.”

MacDonald’s ascent to the sport’s championship level is something St-Pierre anticipated not long after the youngster first walked through the doors of Montreal’s Tristar gym. He insists that even if he were still an active fighter, he would never step in the cage opposite someone he helped mentor through the UFC ranks.

“I was not interested in fighting Rory, and Rory was not interested in fighting me,” St-Pierre said. “Rory is my friend. He’s like a brother to me, a training partner. I wish him the best of luck, and if he’s going to fight for the belt, I’m going to be in the gym to help him.”

With just a few weeks until Hendricks and Lawler mix it up for the championship belt St-Pierre never officially lost, the former titleholder could understandably have feelings of regret when he sees the belt, which he held for nearly six years, awarded to someone else.

St-Pierre, though, is adamant that’s not that case, and while his hiatus from the sport was meant to distance himself from the intensity of competition, he’ll be tuning in for the UFC 171 headliner.

“I’m going to watch it,” St-Pierre said. “Either of them can get a knockout, but I believe Johny is the better wrestler. If he wants to use wrestling, it will be a big advantage. Anything can happen in the fight, so we’ll see who wins.”

For the latest on UFC 171, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.