While new welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre put on a clinic Saturday night in front of his rabid supporters, you can also score one for the UFC and the sport of mixed martial arts in Canada.
There was record attendance, a potentially record gate, and a visibility for MMA unseen in this country before. And it all went off without a hitch.
The results for the Canadian fighters were split evenly -- four won, four lost, though you could make a case for London, Ont.'s Sam Stout, who lost a close split decision to Rich Clementi.
But apart from booing that decision, the fans were not left unsatisfied by many fights. There were some tremendous performances, fantastic displays of jiu-jitsu, top-notch submissions and exhilarating knockouts.
Yes there was blood -- not to mention some bad blood settled. But if anyone was thinking this sport is going to fade away anytime soon, you should have been at the Bell Centre on Saturday night (sorry if you tried but couldn't get tickets).
"The energy here was more powerful than anywhere I've ever been," UFC president Dana White told a well-attended post-fight news conference, who added he might have to consider having Montreal shows at Olympic Stadium in the future where they might get 40,000. "If I could come here every weekend, I would."
With St. Pierre, who is truly becoming a sporting icon in his native Quebec and beyond, returning to the top of the UFC mantle it won't just help grow the sport in Montreal, where it hardly needs it, but across the entire country as well.
St. Pierre said there's still a little ways to go though. In response to a French television station reporter, GSP said that the sport is still unknown in some parts of the country. He read somewhere this week an article with a picture of him punching a guy that stated, "Are we going back to the dark ages?" And the Montreal Gazette's headline Sunday morning read: "Hockey shrine overrun by barbarians."
GSP insisted that the sport needs a spokesperson and he'd like to be that. And as White has said numerous times, you couldn't ask for a better one. The French Canadian is an amazing athlete, he's charming, good-looking, well-spoken -- even in English -- and has an endearing personality.
"He needs to go on a Wheaties box," White repeated. (I guess Dana doesn't realize they don't get Wheaties in Quebec.)
St. Pierre said in the past few weeks that he's hardly been able to walk the streets to a restaurant without getting swarmed by people.
It comes with the territory.
Next for St. Pierre is a matchup with Jon Fitch, whom White confirmed was the new No. 1 contender, and a step up to 185 pounds to challenge middleweight champion Anderson Silva some time down the line isn't out of the question. Now that he has basically cleaned out the welterweight division, there isn't much of a challenge left at 170 pounds.
Saturday night fans got to see the proverbial "real GSP," not the one who lost to Serra a year ago. Perhaps now those just getting exposed to the sport will start to see the "real MMA," and not see it as something that is akin to human cockfighting.
The Jon Fitch fight might be alright, but I don't see much else than another domination by GSP. GSP is too well rounded of a fighter for Fitch to stand much a real chance. I honestly don't see anyone is GSP's weight class to really give him a run for his money.
I would love to see an Anderson Silva vs GSP or BJ Penn vs GSP. I know their all in different weight classes, but BJ has shown his flexibility to go up and down in weight classes. I just think these would be the best possible fights for these 3 fighters because I don't see anyone really challenging them in each of their respected weight classes! In addition, they are complete fighters, they can stand or go to the ground it doesn't matter. None them may ever happen, but they would be some unbelievably exciting fights to watch! GO GSP GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!