Former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre’s return to the UFC has been met with, frankly, a mixed response.

After a will he/won’t he back and forth in regards to a fight with middleweight champion Michael Bisping, St-Pierre’s comeback after an extended hiatus appears to have lost steam somewhat.

Part of that blame appears to be laid on the Canadian’s choice of opponent. St-Pierre has never fought at 185-pounds, where Bisping currently reigns supreme. For some fans, it feels as if GSP is being opportunistic in picking a champion that appears (on paper) as a favourable match up.

Those complaints increase when it appeared as if St-Pierre had no interest in remaining at middleweight following the fight, meaning an already murky division would be put even further into uncertainty.

Now, according to St-Pierre, those fears can be put to bed as the UFC have instilled a clause in his contract that should he win the middleweight title, he has to defend it against interim middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.

“I have to defend my title,” St-Pierre said, speaking on TheMMAHour. “It’s written in my contract. I have to defend my title if I win. That wasn’t my initial plan, but I understand the UFC’s point of view. They want to protect their titles. They don’t want to delay the defence of their titles, because they don’t want to make people wait.”

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