THE CANADIAN PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is primed and ready for his title defence against Jon Fitch on Saturday at UFC 87, according to trainer Greg Jackson.
"He’s focused, he’s hungry, he looks mean," Jackson said Thursday after the pre-fight news conference. "I can tell he wants to fight. He keeps saying `I wish I could get to the fight.’
"So right now I feel like I’m having to calm him down, which is a great place to be. When they’re like straining on the leash and I’m holding them back and then I can let them go, as a trainer that’s where I am the most comfortable."
The mixed martial arts news conference was open to the public in the rotunda of the Mall of America, a supersized shopping mall big enough to house 258 Statues of Liberty, 32 Boeing 747s or seven Yankee Stadiums.
A pair of Saskatchewan fans carried the Canadian colours, with one having shaved a red maple leaf in his hair.
Former light-heavyweight champion Quinton (Rampage) Jackson spoke briefly on the podium, reassuring fans he was OK in the wake of being held for psychiatric evaluation after being arrested following a freeway chase in California.
"I just want everybody to know I’m doing fine. … I’m good. The UFC’s got my back," he said.
Jackson still has legal issues. He is out on US$25,000 bail after being booked for investigation of felony evading, reckless driving and hit and run.
St. Pierre (16-2) is looking for his first successful title defence. The Montrealer beat Matt Hughes for the 170-pound championship at UFC 65 in November 2006, only to lose it to Matt Serra in three minutes 25 seconds next time out at UFC 69 in April 2007. He won the title back convincingly from Serra at UFC 83 in Montreal this April.
The stylish Canadian is 3-0 since losing his title and, along with Anderson Silva, B.J. Penn and Fedor Emelianenko, is considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.
"Georges St. Pierre has skyrocketed in the welterweight division," UFC president Dana White told the news conference. "He has literally almost cleaned out this division. There’s probably two guys left before the division is cleaned out. One of them is Jon Fitch and if he possibly gets by Jon Fitch, the other one is B.J. Penn."
Penn, who lost a split decision to St. Pierre at welterweight at UFC 58 in March 2006, subsequently moved down in weight and currently holds the lightweight crown.
Fitch (21-2) has won his last 15 fights — including all eight in the UFC. His last loss was in December 2002 against Wilson Gouveia.
"The most dangerous guy I’ve fought so far," said St. Pierre.
"Fitch is a phenomenal fighter," added Jackson, considered one of the sport’s most intelligent trainers.
."This kid is very tough, very well-rounded," said White. "A great wrestler and probably the toughest guy to come out of AKA (American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose) which is a pretty bold statement being one of the best mixed martial arts camps in the world."
Fitch said he felt ready for a title shot a year ago, but had to wait his place in line as the welterweight division sorted itself out. He sees the delay as perhaps a blessing — another year to train and get better.
"I plan on taking that belt Saturday night," he said.
The bookmakers, however, point to St. Pierre, with some making the Canadian a 7-2 favourite.
Middleweight Jason MacDonald of Red Deer, Alta., faces unbeaten Brazilian Demian Maia on the undercard while Kenny Florian takes on Roger Huerta to decide the No. 1 lightweight contender. The co-main event is a heavyweight matchup between Brock Lesnar and Heath Herring.
UFC 87 represents the UFC’s first foray into Minnesota.
NOTES : Affliction has scheduled its second card — Day of Reckoning — for Oct. 11 in Las Vegas with a main event featuring heavyweight Andrei Arlovski versus Josh Barnett. The winner earns a shot against Fedor Emelianenko. Other bouts include middleweight Matt Lindland versus Vitor Belfort, light-heavyweight Vladimir Matyushenko against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and heavyweight Roy Nelson taking on Paul Buentello.
