FanHouse ThiagoAlves

Barriers are not always smashed with a sledgehammer. Sometimes they're chiseled away a little at a time.

A case in point is MMA's move to mainstream acceptance, which has occurred in bits and pieces. The latest step forward comes courtesy of welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, who has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with top-selling athletic brand Under Armour.

Reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre -- still on the mend from a groin injury he suffered in his last successful title defense against Thiago Alves -- is targeting a likely January 2010 return to the octagon, his manager Shari Spencer told FanHouse.

The 28-year-old St. Pierre suffered the injury in the third round of the UFC 100 bout and gutted his way through the pain for the remainder of the five-round fight, earning a lopsided unanimous decision. In the aftermath, he feared a torn groin, but received a reprieve when doctors informed him the injury was not as serious as previously thought, and that no surgery was necessary. St. Pierre, who is hoping to gain clearance to return to full-contact sparring within the next two weeks, has recently been enjoying his downtime with a trip to Saint-Tropez, France.

"He's feeling well and just waiting for clearance to resume his full-contact training," Spencer said.

LAS VEGAS -- Thiago Alves was supposed to be Georges St. Pierre's biggest test, but when the time came, GSP was easily up to the challenge of defending his UFC welterweight championship at UFC 100, earning a unanimous decision by winning every round on all three judges' scorecards.

But what makes St. Pierre's performance even more amazing is that he managed to dominate Alves even after likely tearing an adductor muscle in the third round.

St. Pierre said that the injury occurred during the third round when he was on the bottom in guard position. When Alves pushed his knee down in an attempt to pass guard, St. Pierre heard a snap.