Michael Bisping makes surprising pick for Georges St-Pierre vs. Islam Makhachev dream fight
Michael Bisping revealed his pick for a hypothetical Georges St-Pierre vs. Islam Makhachev fight and gave his verdict on who would win.
George St-Pierre is arguably the greatest welterweight fighter in UFC history, while Islam Makhachev, the current UFC 170-pound king, is one of the most dominant fighters of this generation.
A dream fight between the two would be absolutely legendary. But who would come out on top if both fighters met in their prime?
That exact question was asked to GSP’s former opponent, Michael Bisping, and the UFC Hall of Famer had a clear answer.
Michael Bisping backs Georges St-Pierre over Islam Makhachev
In an episode of ‘JAXXON Podcast,’ the host referenced Jorge Masvidal’s recent claim that Makhachev would have been the easiest fight for GSP. According to Masvidal, the former two-division champion would have annihilated the Dagestani star.
The hosts then asked Bisping for his thoughts on the fantasy matchup between the two champions.
Bisping emphasized that if the fight were to take place at welterweight, GSP would have all the tools, as he was a natural at that weight class, unlike Makhachev, who moved up from 155 pounds. He feels that factor could have played a significant role in the fight. However, the Brit also pointed out that the reigning champion’s wrestling is better than ‘Rush’s.
“At 170, George has all the skills, maybe not quite as good as Islam in the wrestling department, but the athleticism, the striking,” Bisping said. “George was probably a better athlete. He's naturally a 170. Islam came up from 155.”
The host asked Bisping directly whether a prime St-Pierre would defeat Makhachev. Saying, “I'm asking you a direct question. Does prime GSP beat Islam?”
Bisping, without any hesitation, picked his former opponent GSP.
“I would put my money on George,” Bisping predicted.
Check out the discussion below at (1:15:00):
St-Pierre retired from the UFC after capturing his second belt. He defeated Bisping to become the middleweight champion at UFC 217. He later announced his retirement from the UFC.
Meanwhile, Makhachev recently fought Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 this past Saturday in Philadelphia. In the hard-fought battle, he secured a unanimous decision victory to defend his welterweight title. This marked his first title defense in the new division.
With the victory over Garry, Makhachev also etched his name in the UFC history books by surpassing Anderson Silva's 16-fight winning streak. The Dagestani star now wants to continue extending his record and plans to return to the octagon soon.
Islam Makhachev confirms quick return after hard-fought win over Ian Machado Garry
At UFC 330, Makhachev, who has built his reputation on dominant performances and decisive victories, was forced to work hard to get past Garry. Many believe it was one of the toughest tests of his career, with the bruises on his face and body clearly visible after the five-round battle.
Following the victory, Makhachev made it clear during the post-event press conference that he had not suffered any significant injuries and was already planning a quick return before Ramadan.
"Bro we have to fight before Ramadan, 100%," Makhachev told reporters. "January, end of [2026] we have to fight. I'm 34 years old, I have to fight as soon as possible. I'm not cutting much weight, I don't have any big injuries. That's it.”
