Closest We’ll Ever Get To GSP Vs Khabib

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and ex-lightweight titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov were in talks for a potential super fight; however, like the oft-teased dream matchup between St-Pierre and former middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva, it just wasn’t meant to be.

Or “categorically refused,” depending on who you ask.

That’s why this video of “Rush” playfully choking “The Eagle” from the “Meet Your Heroes” event, part of the The Arnold Sports Festival UK weekend extravaganza taking place from Oct. 1-3 inside National Exhibition Centre, is the closest thing we’ll ever get to them throwing down inside the Octagon.

Let’s face it, Kamaru Usman vs. Charles Oliveira just doesn’t have the same vibe.

St-Pierre walked away from combat sports after defending his title against Johnny Hendricks in late 2013, then returned four years later to strip the strap from then-middleweight champion Michael Bisping. As for Nurmagomedov, he retired in August 2020 after submitting Justin Gaethje, improving his undefeated record to 29-0. Oliveira went on to win the vacant lightweight crown by smashing Michael Chandler earlier this year.

Sigh … what could have been.