MMA News: GSP's Head Trainer Talks About Eye Poke and Fight with Nick Diaz

Today on The MMA Hour, Ariel Helwani had the chance to speak with Georges St-Pierre’s head trainer, Firas Zahabi.

Zahabi answered questions regarding the main event at UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields and GSP’s eye injury.

Many UFC fans, and GSP fans in particular, were not impressed with the champ’s performance (yes, I dared to use the infamously overused GSP quote) as St-Pierre took his third title defense in a row to a decision victory over Jake Shields.

Zahabi said that GSP “wanted so badly to finish the fight” that he was careless with the overhand rights. He went on to say that St-Pierre was overzealous in trying to KO Shields, but “took more risks than ever” by throwing the heavy overhands.

St-Pierre was unable to see from his left eye for half of the fight due to what Shields said was the result of him punching GSP in the eye, but turned out to be an unintentional eye poke.

Zahabi told Helwani that the injury was “…definitely from an eye-poke in the middle of the third round.”

At first, the doctors were concerned that the injury might be a detached retina. But Zahabi said that the “possible detached retina” theory was ruled out, and St-Pierre “should be okay in 10 days and should be 100 percent.”

As for whom the UFC welterweight champion will defend his title against next, it will either be Nick Diaz or Anderson Silva, but still no confirmation on either.

It seems that, for business reasons, GSP “can’t say yes or no” in regards to moving up to middleweight.

“I’m sure the UFC is going to want Nick Diaz,” Zahabi said.