UFC legend Georges St-Pierre hints at return to fighting

Georges St-Pierre has refused to rule out a return to the ring after revealing that his UFC contract has expired.

“GSP” is seen by many as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, the Canadian having twice reigned as UFC welterweight champion before returning from a four-year hiatus to win the middleweight belt in 2017. St-Pierre has not fought since, though many fans have clamoured for the 41-year-old to compete again.

Last week, ahead of fellow UFC legend Anderson Silva’s boxing match with Jake Paul, St-Pierre told MMA Fighting: “I’m already out of my UFC contract, I’m out.

“I couldn’t be here today [working with Showtime] if I was under UFC contract. It might p*** 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 organised, 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.”

St-Pierre stressed, however, that he will not return to MMA.

“I might compete, because I’m in an entertainment business, in boxing or in grappling – something that is safer than MMA.

“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 [...] Something like a boxing match with small [gloves]? Nah, I’m done with it.”

YouTube star Paul, 25, outpointed Silva, 47, on Saturday after knocking down the former UFC middleweight champion, with GSP having been involved at a number of the pre-fight events.

“Being here makes me remember how much I don’t miss this,” St-Pierre said last week. “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 per cent free, but I’m way more free than most of the guys, in a way.”