Elite Muay Thai striker reveals what surprised and impressed him the most about training with Georges St-Pierre
04/01/2025 04:10 PM
GSP continues to learn and test himself despite leaving the Octagon behind eight years ago.
The former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion is widely considered to be one of the all-time greats after what Georges St-Pierre was able to accomplish.
People still talk about how well St-Pierre would’ve fared in dream matches against the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov with ‘Rush’ being one of the most well-rounded fighters in UFC history.
Whilst the Canadian icon may have retired in 2017 after St-Pierre defeated Michael Bisping at UFC 217 to win the middleweight belt, he still trains regularly after stepping back from competition.
During a recent trip to Bangtao in Thailand, the 43-year-old spent some time mixing it up with one of the most dangerous Muay Thai strikers in the world.
Nico Carrillo says Georges St-Pierre surprised him with his ability and absorbed knowledge
Though he came up short in his latest outing, Nico Carrillo has established himself as one of the top names on ONE Championship’s Muay Thai roster.
The Scottish striker produced four consecutive wins and knockouts to climb to the top of the bantamweight division before being stopped by Nabil Anane this past January.
Carrillo quickly returned to the gym where several weeks after his loss, he got the chance to put some work in with the great Georges St-Pierre who was visiting Bangtao.
The gym has become a popular destination for elite strikers and mixed martial arts in recent years so whilst ‘King of the North’ is no stranger to crossing paths with the best fighters in the world, this was different.
In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, Carrillo reflected on the experience of getting to compare notes with GSP.
"Yeah it was cool. What a nice guy, so down to earth. Such a humble, nice guy and it was an absolute honor to get to do some training with him."
Throughout his career, Georges St-Pierre was often praised for his ability to adapt to different opponents thanks to his well-rounded skillset.
Carrillo echoed this sentiment when talking about how great a student the former champion is whilst admitting that he was surprised with his technical ability.
"Exactly, his mentality for learning. He was just an open book. He was like a sponge, all the information he just took it in and ran with it. His technique when he was kicking and stuff was really good, I was surprised the way he turned his hip over and stuff. So yeah, I was impressed."
Nico Carrillo starts fresh on April 4 against a Thai legend
After suffering his first loss in ONE Championship, Nico Carrillo has made a big change in his career which will kickstart a new chapter on April 4.
The Scotsman often had a size and power advantage over his bantamweight opponents and whilst making weight hadn’t been an issue for him, it was taking a lot out of the 26-year-old during his preparations.
Carrillo debuts in the featherweight division at ONE Fight Night 30 where he will face off with Thai legend Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong.
Only the very best are able to get past the elite kickboxer with ‘Killer Kid’ being one of the greats of his generation but that’s exactly what Carrillo intends on doing in his return to Lumpinee Stadium.
