White: GSP could return this summer

Georges St-Pierre’s return may be sooner than we thought.

According to UFC president Dana White, the sidelined welterweight champion is motivated to do what it takes to get back in the cage as soon as possible, suggesting a long-awaited matchup between he and Nick Diaz could happen in "the summertime."

Of course, a couple things would first have to fall into place: Diaz needs to get by Carlos Condit next month at UFC 143; and St-Pierre would have to make significant strides in his rehab following knee surgery -- the previous prognosis had him hoping to get back in the cage only in November.

However, in an interview following Friday’s UFC on FX event in Nashville, White said the Canadian is feeling so much “hatred” for Diaz, who questioned his injured status at an event last October, that he is just itching to get in the Octagon and quiet the American with his fists.

"GSP's rehab could not be going better," White told FUEL TV’s Ariel Helwani. "I kid you not, he texts me every day. Tonight during the fight, he was texting me pictures of him kicking, of him doing things. He says, 'I am praying every night when I go to bed that Nick Diaz wins this fight' ...

"I've never seen him so motivated to fight somebody and to beat somebody as he is (with) Nick Diaz. He's ahead of schedule now, being the freak of nature that he is and the hard worker and dedicated athlete that he is, I think he's going to be back sooner than doctors anticipated."

St-Pierre, who tore his ACL in December which forced him out of a scheduled matchup Super Bowl weekend against Diaz, has always been extremely dedicated in the gym, but this timeframe for rehab would be quite a feat considering such an injury usually takes about 10 months to heal.

Diaz faces Condit on Feb. 4 in Las Vegas for the interim welterweight title. The winner would potentially fight St-Pierre to unify the belts, unless GSP’s return is delayed. White had previously said the Diaz-Condit winner would have to fight one more time against another contender (thus defending the interim belt) before St-Pierre would be ready to put the undisputed title on the line again.