LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Canadian fighter Georges St-Pierre will be cheering for his enemy in Saturday’s main event at UFC 143 in Las Vegas.
The 30-year-old mixed martial arts star from Montreal will be ringside to watch welterweights Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit fight for the interim 170-pound title at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
St-Pierre was originally slated to fight Diaz this weekend but a training injury forced him to pull out and Condit was added as a replacement.
“I respect Carlos Condit, but I want Diaz to win,” St-Pierre said Tuesday in a UFC release. “It will be a weird feeling, sitting at the Mandalay Bay wanting Nick Diaz to win. I want this fight with Diaz so badly.”
St-Pierre, who heard a lot of trash talk from Diaz, said he was crushed that he had to withdraw after suffering a serious knee injury.
“I am determined to get back to the Octagon as soon as possible to fight this guy,” St-Pierre said. “He needs to hold up his part and beat Carlos Condit on Saturday to make this fight happen.”
GSP was scheduled to fight Condit last October but had to pull out with a knee injury and a pulled hamstring. The Canadian fighter then underwent knee surgery after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in December.
St-Pierre (22-2) has defended the 170-pound championship six times since regaining the title from Matt Serra at UFC 83 in April 2008.
The Canadian said his recovery is ahead of schedule and he’s hoping to return this summer. In a video link posted on his Twitter account Monday, St-Pierre said he has been working out in Montreal and doing some light gymnastics training.
