Georges St-Pierre has revealed the proposal he sent to Dana White following last weekend’s viral Oscar gossip.
When celebrities clash in the street or well-known figures throw hands in public, the MMA fanbase is always there to comment, nag and debate. At least that’s how it’s been since the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday.
At the event, comedian Chris Rock took the stage to present the Best Documentary Award. He took the opportunity to tease actor Will Smith’s wife. Rock compared the appearance of Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia, to the 1997 film’s lead character, GI Jane.
Despite an initial laugh, Smith quickly defended his partner, approaching Rock on stage and slapping him that has since been seen and discussed around the world.
The latest influential name on the martial arts circuit to offer his opinion on the slap is St-Pierre, a former welterweight and middleweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage. During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the Canadian legend admitted he was more impressed with Rock’s chin than anything else.
“I think it was a very quick slap he threw. But I think Chris has one hell of a chin. I think Chris Rock has a damn strong chin,” St-Pierre said. “I think I’m more impressed with Chris Rock’s performance than Will Smith’s performance [LAUGHS].”
St-Pierre sees celebrity opportunity for White & UFC
The incident also sparked a business venture for St-Pierre, who revealed he took to Instagram to contact former boss Dana White. He told the UFC president that it would be prudent to look into his promotion, which includes a special card full of celebrities.
While such an event was considered crazy a few years ago, “Rush” cited the changing nature of the sport and the added value of entertainment as reasons why it would work today.
“I wrote to Dana [LAUGHS]. On Instagram, I said, “Dana, you should make a special UFC card with celebrities,” GSP revealed. “I guarantee he would make a lot of money doing that. Because the sport has now shifted to another thing. It’s more about entertainment. I mean, sometimes you want to see who’s the best fighter in the world, but sometimes you want to see what would happen if this guy fought this guy. It’s entertainment. I think there is room for both.”
We might even see Chris Rock and Will Smith headlining. Kanye West vs. Pete Davidson Co-Main anyone? A squash match between Conor McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly? The possibilities are endless.
Do you agree with Georges St-Pierre? Should the UFC hold a special card featuring celebrity fights?