Georges St-Pierre: Former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion, widely considered one of the greatest MMA fighters and martial artists of all time. Known for his strategic, scientific approach to fighting.
What this episode covers
Georges St-Pierre joins Lex Fridman for a deep conversation on the psychology and science of fighting. He explains that he never loved fighting itself, only the science and training, and endured intense pre-fight fear that he masked to protect his coaches' confidence. He describes how a colitis diagnosis led him to fasting under Dr. Jason Fung, which he says changed his life. The talk ranges across strategy (plan B and C, reading opponents' eyes, proactive vs reactive takedowns), hypothetical matchups with Khabib, and the art of the flawless technique. It closes on philosophy: free will, consciousness, AI, his father's influence, overcoming bullying, street fighting, and his new pursuit of acting.
Also referenced (named, not recommended)
Reebok
Reebok
“i did the same rehearsal that i always do i look at myself in the mirror... i didn't have this for my last fight because of the the new reebok deal they had”— guest
Taxi Driver
Martin Scorsese
“do you think there's a a dramatic role where it's basically you know you go full robert de niro and taxi driver”— Lex Fridman
The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky
“i would love to see where i don't know if you've seen the wrestler with uh mickey work oh yeah those types of films”— Lex Fridman
Bitcoin
Bitcoin
“you have in the financial sector you have cryptocurrency right now with bitcoin and all those kinds of things people are exploring how can we avoid the central bank”— Lex Fridman
Big reveals from this episode
- GSP admits he never liked to fight at all, only fought to keep the lifestyle, money and freedom it provided.
- He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after his Bisping fight and feared he had cancer.
- Fasting under Dr. Jason Fung made him medication-free and reversed his colitis symptoms.
- Before every fight he was terrified, asking himself 'what the hell am I doing here,' and wore a mask to fake confidence for his coaches.
- He wanted the Khabib fight and Khabib wanted it, but the UFC refused to make it happen.
- He believes there is no free will, only causality and the illusion of choice.
- His first-ever fight was losing 'King of the Mountain' as a kid, bloodied by a surprise punch, teaching him the element of surprise.
- He now channels his championship drive into acting, landing a role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Worth remembering
- He does a three-day water fast four times a year, timed around New Year, summer and the holidays.
- CAT scans showed fasting preserved his muscle mass and mainly cut water retention and inflammation.
- Past four or five days of fasting he enters a hyperactive 'hunter-gatherer' mode where creativity peaks but sleep suffers.
- His secret weapon was a friend who analyzed fights frame by frame, finding BJ Penn had elite reaction time but poor reset time.
- He beat BJ Penn by faking constantly to overload Penn's nervous system and tire him out.
- He was criticized for not finishing opponents because he could see in their eyes when they had given up.
- He believes elite athletes often train far too much and underestimate recovery, when learning is assimilated.
- His father was a Kyokushin karate black belt who introduced him to martial arts after he was bullied at school.
- He argues a tie is not a fighting disadvantage but a 'nice guy' disguise that preserves the element of surprise.
- He learned to love himself by faking confidence until it became real, changing himself from the inside out.