UFC 167: 3 Questions We Have About Georges St-Pierre

This Saturday may in fact be the toughest test of Georges St-Pierre's lengthy and lustrous career.

As a quintessential legend of the sport, there aren't many questions the welterweight champion has to answer these days.  But opposite a hungry contender who possesses power unseen in the division for years, GSP will have to be at his best.

When he enters the Octagon this weekend at UFC 167, St-Pierre will be aiming to defend his title for a unheralded ninth-straight time.  It's a monumental accomplishment for any fighter, let alone one of the best pound-for-pound kings to ever compete.

Here are three questions "Rush" must answer in order to stifle the tenacious demeanor and raw strength of Johny "Bigg Rigg" Hendricks.

Can he take Hendricks down?

Through all his physical abilities and skill sets, GSP's most recognizable and utilized Octagon tool is most definitely his wrestling.

He has been an absolute force in the welterweight division for nearly a decade due to his perfected ability to take an opponent down by any means.  Once there, the champ's unfathomable ground-and-pound takes over and subsequently wins rounds.

However, besides Josh Koscheck on two separate occasions, St-Pierre has never faced an animal like Hendricks.  He's strong, possesses a low center of gravity, can explode on contact and wields an elite wrestling arsenal every time he steps inside the cage.

If the long-tenured welterweight titleholder wants to keep what is currently his, he needs to make it a point to test Hendricks' strong suit when the spotlight is brightest and counter his explosive power with dynamic athleticism.

Can he withstand Hendricks' power?

It may sound unfair considering the caliber of elite contenders he has dismantled over the years, but if there was ever anything about St-Pierre's game that calls for concern it would be his chin.

Now even though GSP has eaten big shots in the past only to push through and maintain his place atop the welterweight throne, such as Carlos Condit's head kick back at UFC 154, Hendricks is simply on a different level.

The guy is knocking people out at 170 pounds like Chuck Liddell used to do as a light heavyweight.  It's downright terrifying.

So with that said, St-Pierre is really the only one that can help himself.  He has to understand that Hendricks is going to land at least a few flush punches throughout the fight's entirety, so the champ has to be ready to battle through adversity.

If he folds, a repeat of Matt Serra's upset knockout from 2007 could unfold.

Will he finish in fashion?

As arguably the greatest champion in mixed martial arts history, people tend to hold St-Pierre at a higher regard than most fighters.

That means he must perform to an absolute tee or else he'll be ridiculed.  Such criticism has been murmured regarding the champ's inability to not only look to finish opponents, but actually do it.

Now while GSP's dominance should not be skewed in any way, shape or form, it is a little surprising that his last Octagon finish came back in 2009 opposite B.J. Penn when his corner called the fight.

But for this title defense, against one of the best knockout artists the promotion has seen in a long time, St-Pierre has a real shot to make up for lost time.  If he can finish Hendricks and put a stamp on a brilliant career, there's no reason why he shouldn't be considered the greatest of all time.

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