Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) spoke exclusively with Sherdog.com the day after his impressive second-round TKO over Matt Serra (Pictures) at UFC 83. With the win, St. Pierre reclaimed the belt that Serra had taken from him in his first title defense in April 2007.
To get the win, St. Pierre employed a very solid wrestling game that allowed him to stay on top of Serra and punish him with countless hard knees to the body. The style contrasted greatly to the standup that Serra had used so successfully the first time. Was St. Pierre worried the few times that Serra got back to his feet?
"No, I was in perfect control," he said. "My plan was to mix it up with him -- up and down and up and down to get him tired."
There had been some bad blood in the buildup to the bout, but after the win St. Pierre, now 16-2, was quick to praise his opponent. In fact, he pleaded with the Montreal crowd to treat Serra like a gentleman. St. Pierre acknowledged that any animosity that may have existed is now gone.
"He's not a friend because I would never fight a friend," St. Pierre said. "He's an acquaintance. How do you say … a ‘buddy.' Somebody that I respect in the sport."
St. Pierre was also very thankful to the Montreal crowd, whom he called the "noisiest I had ever heard in my life." During the pre-fight warm-up, he couldn't hear the crowd because he was deep within the bowels of the Bell Centre. However, St. Pierre said he felt the trembling in the walls.
"The place was shaking," he remarked.
Surprising perhaps to those who think fighters live like rock stars, St. Pierre spent time at his after-party signing autographs and taking photos with fans until four in the morning. The 26-year-old Quebecer's real celebration? A meal at McDonalds and some rest.
"That's because the stress of the fight makes you tired," he said.
Most followers of MMA agree that contender Jon Fitch (Pictures) will likely get the first crack at St. Pierre, followed possibly by Thiago Alves (Pictures), but only UFC brass knows who will be the Canadian's next foe. If the decision has already been made, St. Pierre doesn't want to know.
"They are both tough fighters, and I don't know yet," he said. "And I don't even want to know until one week, at least."
In the meantime, St. Pierre jetted to the Bahamas Sunday evening for four days in the surf and sun with friends and family. After that it's back to the gym, where he'll help Keith Jardine (Pictures) get ready for his May 24 meeting with Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) in Las Vegas.
Is that too little time to relax after such a lengthy training session and a big fight?
"My friend," St. Pierre said, "that's what I like to do with my life."