Miesha Tate: ‘Bisping Win Does Not Cement GSP’s Legacy’

Despite Georges St. Pierre making a historic return at UFC 217 to capture the middleweight title from Michael Bisping, not everyone is sold on the French-Canadian’s accomplishment.

St. Pierre made his triumphant return at Madison Square Garden and was able to finish Bisping off in the third round with a beautiful rear nake choke. The win put GSP in discussions as possible the greatest mixed martial arts fighter to ever enter the octagon, but former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate isn’t sold on the idea just yet.

“You know I don’t think so but Georges St. Pierre has done a lot.” Miesha Tate said on Sirius XM Radio. “On a 4 year layoff, I know he came back up a weight class and he did beat the champion but I think a lot of people wonder if Michael Bisping is as legit of a champ as many other champions, in the sense that I think some people think that it was more of a fluke that the Luke Rockhold knockout happened. He was a huge underdog and he got that great knockout. It was such a spectacular win. And then he defended against Dan Henderson who people don’t feel like was the rightful contender, they feel like Whittaker was the rightful contender. And the matchup I feel like for Georges St. Pierre at 185 was better for him than the matchup with Tyron Woodley at 170 and I think that’s why he chose that route, and/or the UFC chose that route. I say if he beats Woodley at 170 or if he stays at 185 and beats Whittaker, that seals the deal. I just think that right now because on a 4 year layoff there’s a lot of guys who are amazing and a lot has changed in this sport. Now I think that GSP could’ve been arguably the greatest of all time at one point but when you pass up 4 years, I just don’t know whether this win is the one that puts him on the map as the greatest of all time.”