Georges St-Pierre's coach Firas Zahabi: 'He should fight Conor McGregor or Michael Bisping'

LONDON – Georges St-Pierre’s head coach Firas Zahabi says his man should pursue the biggest fights in the UFC rather than look to embark on another title run.

Speaking to MMAjunkie in London ahead of Bellator 179, Tristar Gym supremo Zahabi laid out the situation surrounding St-Pierre, saying there was little chance of him ever being able to fight in the summer.

“I think everybody knows Georges has to go through the USADA testing,” Zahabi explained. “He has to wait to the fall until he can fight. I think it’s clear on everybody’s side – everybody knows that.”

And when “GSP” returns, his longtime head coach says he wants to see his man in the biggest fights possible rather than making another run at the welterweight belt he never lost in the octagon.

“I think I want Georges to fight a high-profile fight,” Zahabi admitted. “He doesn’t need any more to go and try to be champion of the welterweight division and try to defend the title every three-four months. I think he’s done that, and he’s past that. I don’t want to speak for him. I don’t know if it’s a lifestyle he wants to go back to.

“I think he should fight Conor McGregor or Michael Bisping, and I’ll tell you why: Michael Bisping will give him a two-title championship, and if he fights McGregor, it’ll be the greatest fight in UFC history.

“Other than that, I don’t know if there’s anything else that’s super-interesting. I don’t wanna speak for Georges – maybe Georges is thinking of other fights – but the two fights I’m interested in would be a Bisping fight or a McGregor fight. I don’t see why that can’t happen. Maybe it’s a question of time, but it should happen.”

The Bisping fight, originally announced earlier this year, is now a major doubt after UFC President Dana White said the promotion “wouldn’t wait” for the Canadian and suggested that Bisping would instead move on to face No. 1 middleweight contender Yoel Romero instead.

Zahabi says the UFC should stick to the original plan and make the Bisping vs. St-Pierre matchup – not just for his own protege’s benefit, but also for the Brit, who he says deserves a bumper payday.

“Bisping has been fighting for a long time; he deserves a big money fight,” Zahabi stated. “I think fighting Georges would make him the most money he’s ever made in his career. I think he deserves that. I think he’s a big name. I think he’s champion – he should make that money.

“And what do the fans want to see? I think Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre is the No. 1 fight they want to see. So why aren’t we giving it to them? I don’t know.”

Zahabi is in London ahead of his other high-profile student’s latest outing, with Rory MacDonald set to make his Bellator debut against big-punching Brit Paul “Semtex” Daley in the main event of Bellator 179 on Friday night at The SSE Arena.

And the Montreal-based coach says to expect an even more serious MacDonald as the Canadian looks to launch himself straight into championship contention.

“He’s more buckled down, he’s more serious and I really just feel like he is the best welterweight in the world,” Zahabi explained. “He has beaten Tyron (Woodley), he has beaten Demian Maia. I think he would beat them again. He’s growing, he’s maturing and he’s reaching his peak slowly, slowly. He’s still not at his peak. He’s still getting there.

“It’s Rory’s turn now. Rory’s really coming up and shining, and I think we’re going to see it in the next two or three years, him really hitting his peak. I think he’s going to devastate every division in every world, and he’s just going to crush them out.”

That quest begins against Daley on Friday night, and Zahabi says fans should expect to see Daley’s ultra-aggressive fighting style prove to be his undoing against MacDonald.

“You’ve got to use his aggression against him, and I think that’s what you’re going to see on Friday,” he predicted. “You’re going to see Paul Daley’s aggression turn around and backfire on him.”

For more on Bellator’s upcoming schedule, including Bellator 179, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.