What Is Georges St-Pierre's Kryptonite?

You've seen him punch, you've seen him sprawl, but you have only seen him fail to win on two occasions.

When Georges St-Pierre lost his first fight with Matt Hughes, you could tell by his failure to meet Matt's eyes that something was going on in Georges' head. In spite of being in the cage with the man who was his inspiration and hero, he almost pulled off a win.

No, almost and tapping out with a second left does not win a MMA fight, but many of Georges's moves had him within an inch of success. Just one tiny second...

With Matt Serra, Georges never appeared to get his game off the drawing board. He not only slipped in the cage and failed to completely regain his bearing, he had slipped by not being prepared to enter the octagon that night.

Anyone can have an off night, but critics and even Georges' fans were harder on him for that particular loss than they have been with other MMA heroes who have fallen more than twice in their careers.

Georges admitted that he had gone to a sports psychologist, which added grist to the rumor mill which quickly labeled him as being a mental weakling. To strengthen himself, Georges followed his therapist's advice and carried a brick with Matt Serra's name on it around with him, finally throwing it off a bridge into deep water.

By unburdening himself, Georges was free to move on with his fighting career.

And move on he did by ridding himself of a soul sapping entourage, his manager, and turning over a new leaf, thereby approaching his fights with a new fire and sense of purpose within his heart and body. His choices were sound and once again he was on the road to making a legacy that few others will ever accomplish.

The biggest fallacy that his detractors and opponents so eagerly grabbed hold of was that Georges had a "mental weakness." Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Anyone, amateur or pro, who has ever watched the videos of Georges with his strength and fitness trainer, Jonathan Chaimberg, working out with Firas Zahabi or at Greg Jackson's gym will quickly recognize that no mentally weak person could deal with so much pressure.

Georges possesses the entire package of physical and mental strength. Who could now even question this fact?

Such previous accusations were myth rather than fact. No, no kryptonite here.

Does Georges have any type of kryptonite that can be discovered?

The fatal attraction of the movie star Mandy Moore who admitted to "crushin' on him" did not trip him up. Even when Dana White used the poor judgement to bring Moore into the dressing room to meet Georges before one of his most important fights, he was not distracted by her charms, movie star/singer status, or obvious romantic interest in him.

Were Dana to have intended to give Georges' opponent an advantage that evening, it did not go as he intended.

Dana's new rule limiting the number of people each fighter can have in their dressing room, has not been a disadvantage to Georges either. Unfortunately, as everyone could see when Dana continued to bring celebrities into Georges' dressing room (where even his manager Shari Spencer was no longer allowed), he was oblivious to their presence.

If Josh Koscheck sought to throw Georges off by making the comment, "Hey Georges, you've won," to him towards the end of their fight, or if it was a ploy to obtain mercy from some ground and pound, it did not work. Georges was indifferent to the remark and did not miss a beat (or elbow).

Weight isn't an obstacle either. Georges always weighs in at weight. He is as disciplined in his diet as in his training regimen. No sign of kryptonite here.

What is left? No romantic problems, training or diet issues, conflicts with friends or family (both groups are completely loyal and supportive of Georges), no injuries, no "mental" issues...what is there left to consider?

Judging from observing Georges' behavior for a long time  throughout his career, I see only one answer that could possibly be considered as a weakness.

Emotions.

Georges would appear to be a very sentimental man. He was nervous upon meeting his former hero Matt Hughes, and he was very concerned about family difficulties including a close cousin's death when he met Matt Serra for what everyone thought would be an easy fight.

Can emotions be predicted to give a rival an advantage over someone? I certainly do not know how to answer that question. Perhaps only Georges himself knows the answer to that one.

And as a good card player knows, Georges isn't about to show his hand.