Georges St-Pierre, Rory MacDonald pine for return to no-holds-barred fighting

Georges St-Pierre

Before a laundry list of rules were implemented, the UFC was pretty close to “as real as it gets,” though promoters were far more coarse in describing the action inside the octagon.

The promotion’s former owners touted the lack of rules inside the cage and teased the possibility of death to a competitor before political and legal pressure forced a change in direction.

The UFC fans now see is more palatable to the general public, but that doesn’t mean the fighters who compete in the promotion’s octagon think it’s a more accurate test of their skills. Two very notable fighters, for example, long for the days of no-holds barred combat.

Now-retired welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and Rory MacDonald are two Canadians who would like to see the elimination of rounds and rules.

“In a perfect world, what I would like in mixed martial arts would be a fight (to see) who’s the best man – let them fight,” St-Pierre said during a Q&A prior to the weigh-ins for this past Saturday’s UFC 186. “Of course, there’s the problem of action on the ground, so you stand them back up. But there’s no rounds.”

Instead, St-Pierre suggested, fights would be 15 nonstop minutes for non-title fights and 25 for title fights.

MacDonald agrees with St-Pierre that the current framework of rules were implemented to keep the UFC from becoming extinct as politicians attempted to shut down events. But, he added, he would like to fight longer with the option of using banned techniques such as headbutts and knees and kicks to a grounded opponent.

“I think it would make it easier for judging, as well,” MacDonald said.

Of course, MacDonald (25-10 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will need to play by the current rules when he rematches current champ Robbie Lawler (18-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) for the welterweight title at UFC 189, which takes place July 11 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Given the controversy the UFC courted in its previous incarnation, MacDonald and St-Pierre probably will never see their wishes realized.

But fighters can always dream.

For more on UFC 189, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.