St-Pierre Reveals Which Fight Gave Him The Most Anxiety

Georges St-Pierre admits mental doubt cost him his first fight with Matt Hughes.

The former UFC welterweight champion, widely regarded as one of the sport's all-time greats, told the Red Hawk Recap that his 2004 title challenge against Hughes generated more anxiety than any other bout in his career. St-Pierre was only seven fights into his pro run when he faced the legendary champion, and the mental pressure proved overwhelming.

St-Pierre On Mental Barriers And The Hughes Rematch

"Actually, the worst anxiety that I had was my first fight with Matt Hughes," St-Pierre said, per MMA Fighting. "And I lost that fight. I couldn't sleep at night. It was driving me completely crazy, and I remember going into that fight, I couldn't see myself winning. I couldn't get over that mental barrier. And I lost the fight."

St-Pierre, 23 at the time, described feeling thrown to the wolves when the opportunity arrived. He beat Hughes by armbar in their rematch two years later to claim the welterweight strap. After dropping the belt to Matt Serra in one of the sport's biggest upsets, St-Pierre began working with a mental performance coach, treating the psychological side of fighting as seriously as his technical training.

"Preparation is also mental. I'm a big believer in it," St-Pierre said. He avenged both losses in his career and retired as one of the few fighters to reclaim titles after defeat. St-Pierre last competed in 2017, submitting Michael Bisping for the middleweight championship before vacating the belt.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Morning Report | Georges St-Pierre reveals which fight gave him the most anxiety in his career