It's hard to believe that I ever hated GSP. In my defense, it was an opinion reached solely as a result of his rivalry with my favorite fighter of all time, Matt Hughes. It takes a lot to admit you were wrong about something, so LAY OFF ME! The important thing is that I love him now. And his most recent news headline is precisely why.
We are currently living in a time where every athletic accomplishment is immediately met with speculation of potential steroid use. It's a sad reality, but it's a reality nonetheless. Even the great George St. Pierre couldn't escape this unavoidable fate. Granted, the rumors began when bitter rival Nick Diaz wove it into a series of insults that he hurled at the long time champion prior to their UFC 167 matchup. But the allegations bothered GSP all the same.
So what? I'm sure Alex Rodriguez and Lance Armstrong weren't thrilled with their accusations either, so why is GSP's opinion newsworthy. The answer is found in his response to the attack. Rather than vehemently yelling "DID NOT" every time the subject was broached like his not-so-successful counterparts, he proclaimed that he would prove his innocence. With an upcoming title defense against Johny Hendricks, GSP is living up to his promise by voluntarily submitting himself to a VADA drug test, one that George believes is "the best anti-doping agency in the world." With challenger Johny Hendricks immediately agreeing to the testing as well, it seems as if we will see our proof soon enough.
And as if this wasn't enough, George is paying for the whole thing himself! He describes the act as his duty as champion. MMAFighting.com spoke to George, who stated "I'm ready to pay [for our testing] myself, because I'm the champion. All from my purse, I paid for the tests because I'm the champion. That's why I'm ready, I'm ready to do it. That's a point I want to make."
George St. Pierre; a true champion in every sense of the word.
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