Georges St-Pierre believes Olympic-style drug testing is the 'next step' for MMA

Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre hasn’t yet committed to returning to active competition in MMA, but if he does indeed stage a comeback, he hopes to face stiffer drug testing on his return.

St-Pierre spoke to AXS TV’s “Inside MMA” during this past week’s UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas, and the future UFC Hall of Famer said he believes a more rigid, Olympic-style drug testing program is needed to help MMA continue its worldwide growth.

“They need to make more like Olympic drug testing – an independent organization that doesn’t have any affiliation with the money of the organization,” St-Pierre said.

St-Pierre’s comments come at a critical time for the UFC. While promotion officials have committed to eradicating the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport, tests are being failed (or skipped) at an alarming rate. St-Pierre has long been in favor of increased testing, but he wants to make it clear he’s not trying to tear down the UFC by suggesting a change in regulation.

“The only thing I wanted to do is help the sport to raise another level, and I think if you want it to grow worldwide to the next step, it’s the next step to follow,” St-Pierre said.

To hear more from St-Pierre, including an update on his recovery from ACL surgery, check out the future UFC Hall of Famer’s interview with “Inside MMA” in the video above.

And for more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.