Georges St-Pierre: Francis Carmont doesn't know how good he is

JARAGUA DO SUL, Brazil – While it seems just about everyone expects Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to take another step toward a title shot on Saturday night, at least one very high-profile friend of the Brazilian’s opponent believes UFC Fight Night 36 could be Francis Carmont‘s coming-out party.

“Francis is very good,” Georges St-Pierre said. “Francis is so good, he doesn’t know how good he is. He’s a lot better than he knows. He has a lot of potential. He’s well-rounded and an incredibly fast learner.

“When he first arrived in Canada, he was a kickboxer. But now he’s become a very good wrestler. He’s very good at adapting.”

Carmont (22-7 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Souza (19-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meet in the co-main event of Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 36 event at Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The middleweight matchup will feature the grinding, powerful style of Carmont against the explosive jiu-jitsu of Souza.

The winner will be in an enviable position in the UFC’s 185-pound division ahead of May’s showdown between champ Chris Weidman and top contender Vitor Belfort. Souza stands as the oddsmakers’ choice, but St-Pierre, who trains alongside Carmont at Montreal’s Tristar Gym, thinks “Limitless” is primed for the upset.

“‘Jacare’ is one of the best in the world,” St-Pierre said. “He’s not only good in jiu-jitsu, but he’s good standing up. [Carmont] has got to use his reach and not be afraid of his ground game. If he sees a chance for a takedown, he’s got to go for it.

“Francis is one of the strongest guys I’ve met in my life. His grip is incredibly strong. When you don’t know him, it really surprises you. He needs to fight his fight and not over-respect [Souza's] jiu-jitsu.”

While St-Pierre is currently taking a break from active competition, the former champ made the long trek to Brazil to corner his training partner. St-Pierre said he’s looking forward to coaching his friend against such a high-level opponent and hopes he’s able to offer some worthy advice culled from his own time in pressure situations.

Perhaps that will ultimately be the role he chooses over fighting, but for now St-Pierre just wants to help Carmont to the biggest win of his life.

“I have a lot of experience in big fights and I’m a tactician, so I know ways to beat someone,” St-Pierre said. “I don’t know if I want to be a coach later. I’m not sure – I’m not there yet. I’m just doing it for fun right now. I don’t have a lot of friends in martial arts, but Francis is a good one, and I want him to succeed.”

For the latest on UFC Fight Night 36, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Francis Carmont)