Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Georges St. Pierre awkwardly called out Matt Hughes after UFC 63 knockout in a moment he labeled ‘low-class’

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Hamish Woodward | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 8:01 AM ET

Georges St. Pierre’s challenge to Matt Hughes did little to build to their fight and just looked awkward to everybody watching it unfold.

Hughes was supposed to defend his UFC Welterweight title against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 63 in the planned headline fight for the event.

However, a groin injury that took too long to heal forced the Canadian out of the rematch against the man who beat him for the vacant title back at UFC 50.

Instead, B.J. Penn, the man who beat Hughes at UFC 46 for that very same belt, was drafted in for a late-notice title fight, as St. Pierre watched on from the crowd before making his own way into the octagon.

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Georges St. Pierre awkwardly confronted Matt Hughes in the octagon after the fight

Hughes got revenge over B.J. Penn at UFC 63, landing a third-round TKO victory after isolating his opponent’s head and launching a ground-and-pound assault that no man could overcome.

The victory was a cathartic one after his loss in their previous bout, but his celebrations were short-lived once his planned opponent, St. Pierre, stormed his way to the octagon as Joe Rogan interviewed the victorious Hughes.

The Canadian politely hugged Hughes before grabbing the microphone from Rogan and beginning some very tame and awkward trash-talking to the champion.

GSP said: “I’m very glad you won that fight, Matt. But I’m not impressed by your performance. I look forward to fighting you in the near future.”

He followed that with a handshake to the man he had tamely insulted, as Hughes looked unimpressed at the callout.

The pair had words backstage, with St. Pierre apologizing as he admitted he misunderstood the situation leading up to his callout.

Georges St. Pierre later admitted it was a ‘low-class’ move from him

Their fight at UFC 65 went poorly for Hughes, as he was finished by a head kick and a series of punches by St. Pierre to lose the UFC Welterweight belt.

However, the biggest regret from their feud came from St. Pierre, who admitted he made an error of judgment by confronting Hughes in the octagon at UFC 63.

Years after the event, speaking in a mini-documentary called Fightography: Georges St. Pierre, GSP admitted that his comments that night were “low-class”, and that he now laughs at his callout that night.

He admitted that he thought Hughes was trash-talking him before Dana White invited him into the ring to set up the awkward callout.

GSP said: “After Matt won the fight against B.J. Penn, I was sitting down and Matt got on the mic and I heard my name in the discussion. Then Dana White is like, ‘Hey, come in the ring!’.

“It’s not my style to go in, and it was very low-class from my part to go there and ruin his celebration.”