Integrated Sports Media (ISM), the undisputed distri-bution champion of mixed martial arts and boxing fights in North America, announced to-day that it will present a one-hour special featuring Georges “Rush” St. Pierre’s six non-UFC fights, including his first five and rarely seen 2002 debut, prior to him developing into the Pound-for-Pound King of MMA.
“George St. Pierre: Rush To The Top” will be exclusively distributed in the United States by ISM, premiering in April for viewing on both cable and satellite pay-per-view on the follow-ing dates: DirecTV and DISH Network (April 1), Avail-TVN (Apr. 11) and iN DEMAND (Apr. 12), as well as via Video On Demand, for only $9.95. Check listings for replays through the entire month of April and into May.
“We’re thrilled and privileged to bring this unique footage of St. Pierre, the No. 1 ranked welterweight in the world and reigning UFC champion in the 170-pound division, to MMA fans in the United States,” ISM president Doug Jacobs said. “This exciting six-fight pack-age is where it all started for one of the greatest MMA fighters of all-time.”
St. Pierre, who sports an amazing 21-2-0 career record (8 KOs, 5 submissions), started learning Kyokushin karate from his father at the age of seven in order to defend himself from a school bully. He later studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), wrestling and boxing. Today, he holds a third-degree black belt in Kyokushin, as well as black belts in BJJ and Gaidojutsu.
The 20008 & 2009 Canadian Athlete of the Year had his first amateur MMA match at the age of 16. St. Pierre made his MMA pro debut January 25, 2002, defeating previously un-beaten (4-0) Ivan Menjivar, in Montreal, by first-round technical knockout (punches) in UCC 7: Bad Boyz.
Five months later in Gatineau, Canada, Georges captured the UCC (Canadian) Welter-weight Championship, forcing Justin Bruckmann (4-1) to submit (arm-bar) in the opening round in UCC 10: Battle for the Belts 2002.His first and only UCC title defense came Octo-ber 11, 2002 in Montreal, when St. Pierre stopped Travis Galbraith (5-1) in the first round at UCC11: The Next Level.
MMA’s future superstar next took on Thomas Denny, who was riding a three-fight win streak January 25, 2003 into UCC12: Adrenaline in Montreal. It took Georges two rounds to win for the first time as Denny was defeated by technical knockout on cuts. Denny was a US citizen so the fight wasn’t for St. Pierre’s UCC title belt.
In his fifth pro match and last non-UFC fight, “Rush” took on UFC veteran Pete Spratt, who was coming off of a victory by submission in UFC 42 against Robbie Lawler, who went on to capture the Elite XC middleweight title. St. Pierre locked-in a rear naked choke against Spratt (12-6), who tapped-out at 3:40 of the first round in their November 29, 2003 fight in Victoriaville, Canada on the TKO 14: Road Warriors card.
St. Pierre made his UFC debut two months later en route to becoming arguably the great-est all-around fighter in MMA history. Three fights after making his UFC debut, GSP bounced back from his first pro MMA loss (Matt Hughes, 1st round submission – arm-bar) in his last non-UFC fight at TKO 19: Rage, in which he defeated Dave Strasser by first-round submission (Kimura) in Montreal.
His most notable victims reads like a list of the true MMA elite, including B.J. Penn (twice), Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, Dan Hardy, John Fitch, Thiago Alves, and Josh Koscheck. Georges is 8-2 in UFC title fights and he is scheduled to next defend his title belt April 30 headlining UFC129 against Jake Shields in Toronto.
Press Release
Bob Trieger - Full Court Press
