UFC icon Georges St-Pierre reveals his views on how to use emotions to one's benefit in fighting

Georges St-Pierre has put forth his advice on the utilization of emotions in fighting. The former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion shed light on both the pros and cons of emotions in combat. 

"GSP" appeared to emphasize why one's energy and emotions ought to be used positively. 

MMA legend Georges St-Pierre's guidance on using emotions in fighting

In a recent appearance on The Break Talk podcast, Georges St-Pierre addressed a myriad of topics, including the recent UFC Freedom 250 event that transpired at the White House earlier this month. 

Each of the seven professional MMA bouts on the card ended via KO/TKO. As such, speculation abounded that the event being held in humid outdoor conditions, rather than the usual indoor arenas at normal temperatures, likely affected the fighters' durability. 

Some fans questioned whether competing at the White House, one of the most high-profile and socio-politically important places in the United States of America, made the athletes more emotional and fueled their adrenaline to hunt for the finish. 

For his part, St-Pierre suggested that it was probably the stylistic matchups that resulted in all those fights ending by way of knockout or technical knockout. 

The discussion segued into emotions, and "Rush" opined that experienced fighters are usually better at managing their emotional state in combat. Warning that uncontrolled emotions harm a fighter, St-Pierre stated: 

"Maybe, there were some emotional aspects to it. Fighters that tend to have less experience, sometimes they're more emotional. Fighters that are experienced, they're less emotional. Because we know that sometimes if you use your emotion, it could make you overcommit and create mistakes." 

Also, St-Pierre pointed out that emotions can be used to one's benefit, particularly to generate energy through them when the body is exhausted: 

"Emotions can be used in a way that, let's say that you're very tired or exhausted. Your body doesn't work, but your mind is still there. And you have to push yourself for that last bit of energy. This is when emotion kicks in, in a good way." 

Nevertheless, he cautioned that anger is an emotion that's counterintuitive in fighting. The Canadian UFC veteran underlined the significance of channelizing emotions and energy positively. St-Pierre said: 

"But if you're thinking about anger, 'Oh, he said this. I'm gonna make him pay, man.' That is the wrong way to fight. Because it's gonna make you overcommit and make a mistake. That's the wrong way to use emotion." 

 

Watch Georges St-Pierre impart his advice on using emotion in fighting below (*comments at the 12:35-minute mark of the video): 

Georges St-Pierre's clinical performance against Nick Diaz is often cited as a brilliant example of emotional control

Georges St-Pierre has long retired from professional MMA competition, but his work ethic and skills are still spoken about with great reverence by students and teachers in the combat sports realm. 

The 45-year-old, during his time as an active fighter, was lauded for his ability to optimally control his emotions -- a prominent weapon in his combat arsenal.

One of the biggest examples of the same was his clinical showing in his win over the legendary Nick Diaz. Their long-awaited grudge match headlined UFC 158 at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- St-Pierre's home turf -- on the 16th of March, 2013. 

Nick, the older brother of fellow UFC icon Nate Diaz, was known for his crafty skill set and fearsome psychological warfare. St-Pierre himself is known to acknowledge Diaz's fighting prowess to this day, even comparing him to reigning UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. 

Certain sections of the MMA community often argue that Nick Diaz's relentless verbal attacks against "GSP" did manage to faze the latter to a certain extent. 

Regardless, St-Pierre ultimately managed to keep his emotions in check and refrain from overcommitting and brawling with Diaz, who was regarded as one of the most lethal inside-fighting savants at the time.

St-Pierre ended up defeating the Stocktonian via unanimous decision and defended his UFC welterweight championship.