“When they examined me, I was almost at 100%. The doctors didn’t see that I had dementia, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t get them later. Current technology cannot anticipate it.”
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Georges St-Pierre is aware of the damage his favorite sport, mixed martial arts, has done to his brain over the course of his long career. The veteran quickly took care of that part of his body. He did it when he was still at his best.
“I worked with the specialist David Tinjuste for a long time,” explains the Quebecer. Then, before my fight against Michael Bisping in 2017, I met with neurologist Robert Cantu to make sure I was fight ready.
For an athlete who practices a contact sport, it is not only important to take exams after his career. He must also do this during treatment, as there are symptoms that are recognizable. It’s super important to identify them before it’s too late.”
St-Pierre suffered just one defeat by knockout during his career. It was against Matt Serra in 2007. During the only round of action, the Quebecer had been shaken several times. The referee stopped the duel after a series of blows to the head.
Then, during the final bouts of his career, he left his tackles with a swollen face. There were several spots or bruises on his face.
stay busy
For GSP, retirement doesn’t mean sitting idly at home with millions in the bank. But on the contrary. He is involved in several projects in cinema, amateur sports or television.
“For me, living a good life means being busy,” emphasizes Saint-Isidore’s pride. I want my brain to stay stimulated but not with the same stress as before.”
On Wednesday he spent the evening with George Reinitz, a former wrestler who survived the concentration camps during World War II. A remarkable encounter.
“He’s lived an incredible life. He nearly died several times and several members of his family died during this time. He is now 91 years old and still very trendy.
He told me the key is to stimulate my brain and never stop working. Always do what you love. I learned a lot from it and will remember it for the rest of my life.”
It is finished
Georges St-Pierre is a legendary fighter in the mixed martial arts world. Even though he officially hung up his gloves in 2019, his name is still being mentioned for a possible fight.
“It is finished! I’m still in shape and people think I’m training for a fight. I exercise because it’s my way of life and I like to be in shape.
I love the confidence it gives me. I will continue training until I die.
As he has said many times before, only a fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov could have brought him out of retirement. However, St-Pierre never managed to reach a satisfactory agreement with Dana White and the UFC.
To mark
George St-Pierre will be Honorary President of the Canadian Wrestling Championships, which will be held at the Place Bell on May 27th and 28th. “Wrestling is a better teacher in life. It takes time to get good. You often get knocked down before you can make it yourself. It’s like life. You can’t be good at first. With hard work and perseverance, it starts to be fun.
Not impossible GSP is that I’Exception
Georges St-Pierre received hundreds of hits to the head during his octagon career. Despite everything, he feels no signs of possible degeneration of his brain. According to neuropsychologist Dave Ellemberg, it’s possible.
“If you look at Georges St-Pierre’s career, he’s had quite a history of repeated hits,” explained Mr. Ellemberg. However, I have met people who have a similar history and age very well.
It may have resilience mechanisms. It is also possible that it is genetic with hormonal protein factors. We do not know what explains this protective factor.
In his office, he encounters people who are in worse condition than GSP, although they have suffered far fewer headbutts.
“They have three or four concussions. That’s still a lot, but not at the level of Georges St-Pierre. They age very quickly. They are in their late 50s and have the brains of a 75 year old.
There’s no guarantee that St-Pierre will hit a wall, but the odds are higher than for someone who hasn’t had a concussion in their life.
Extensive testing?
St-Pierre conducts regular medical check-ups. Are his exams thorough enough? That is the question Mr. Ellemberg is asking.
“I don’t know the tests that Georges has done in recent years,” Mr. Ellemberg said. I don’t know if he had a full neuropsychological exam, which is a six-hour exam with multiple cognitive tests. It’s not just about scans or imaging tests.”
He has a good idea of what he is doing.
“It’s like looking at a computer from the outside. The cables appear to be plugged in and everything seems to be working fine. However, if one examines the operating system more closely, one finds that it does not work well in further tests.