Though legendary UFC fighter Georges St-Pierre has only fought once in the past nine years the former two-division champion has still technically been under contract with the promotion for that whole time, but that’s not the case any more.
GSP has disputed his free agent status with the UFC before, but it’s no longer up for debate as it’s now coming up for five years since his last fight, which saw him return after a hiatus that lasted several years to defeat Michael Bisping and win the middleweight title at UFC 217.
GSP then quickly relinquished his title and bowed out of the sport again, and reaching the five year mark confirms that his UFC contract is now over.
However, don’t expect GSP to return to MMA, although the 41-year-old doesn’t rule out the possibility of competing in some other form of mixed martial arts.
“I’m already out of my UFC contract. I’m out. I couldn’t be here today [working with Showtime for the Paul vs. Silva event] if I was under UFC contract,” St-Pierre told MMA Fighting. “It might piss off the UFC that I’m here, but I did it because, like I said, I have the freedom now to do whatever I want, with whoever I want, whenever I want.
“If I wanted to [I could compete in boxing]. You never say never. If it’s for a good cause, it’s well organized, who knows? I could do boxing or grappling. Who knows? But my days of trying to prove I’m the strongest man in the world, it’s gone. I have other priorities in life and I’m still training, I’m still getting it. When I go with a guy, when I spar with a guy, I still get it. But my heart is not there anymore.”
“I might compete because I’m in an entertainment business, in boxing or in grappling, something that is safer than MMA,” St-Pierre continued. “Not MMA. Something that is safer, that has less risks, because I have a lot more to lose and it’s not my priority anymore. And yeah, why not? You know what I mean? If it’s well done and everything. But something like a boxing match with small [gloves], nah, I’m done with it.
“Being here [for Paul vs. Silva] makes me remember how much I don’t miss this. It’s unbearable for me, the stress and everything. Unbearable. I never liked to fight. I fought because it propelled me to where I wanted to be in life, to have the freedom to be able to do whatever I want with whoever I want, whenever I want. That’s why I did it. You’re never 100 percent free, but I’m way more free than most of the guys, in a way.”
St-Pierre’s MMA record currently stands at 26-2, during which time he won the welterweight title on two separate occasions, defending it a total of nine times, in addition to also winning the middleweight title. His retirement came at a time when he was still in the midst of a 13-fight winning streak, and naturally his many accolades have ensured that he’ll forever be in the discussion as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
