Dana White: Georges St-Pierre needs win over Top 5 contender to earn Khabib title shot

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who also held gold at 185 pounds before taking another retirement hiatus from mixed martial arts (MMA), does not have the luxury of just showing up and demanding a lightweight title shot.

That’s according to promotion president Dana White, who probably feels like he got burned by “Rush” when the French-Canadian phenom captured the middleweight crown, then handed it back in when guys like Yoel Romero were looking for a title shot.

Shame me once, and all that jazz.

“How does Georges St-Pierre jump over all the guys fighting in that division to face Khabib (Nurmagomedov)?” White told ESPN. “Just because all of a sudden he wants to come out and fight this guy -- he doesn’t get to do that. If Georges St-Pierre is serious, listen, I’ll give you a fight with one of these guys in the top five. If you win, you’ll be in position for a title shot. We don’t even know if Georges St-Pierre can make 155 pounds. You know what I mean?”

We know what happened the last time he jumped weight classes.

It’s tough to say when Nurmagomedov will fight next. “The Eagle” is expected to serve a disciplinary suspension for his role in the UFC 229 post-fight brawl, which could leave him on the shelf for an undetermined amount of time.

Aside from that, it would be very difficult to leapfrog Tony Ferguson, who is the winner of 11 straight and a legitimate threat to the Dagestani’s crown. Though all things considered, that would afford St-Pierre enough time to fight a top contender.

I hear this guy is looking for a new opponent.