Looking Back At The Perfect Ending To GSP’s UFC Career

UFC legend George St. Pierre is among the best professional fighters to step inside a UFC octagon, becoming one of the most respected individuals in the sport. Someone who rose to dominance during the late 2000s and early 2010s, George St. Pierre was a top attraction for the UFC during his two-time Welterweight Championship reign, especially during his second Welterweight Championship reign that lasted over five years.

That very championship reign would come to an end in late 2013. After a hard-fought victory against Johnny Hendricks at UFC 167 for the Welterweight Championship, George St. Pierre announced in his post-fight interview that he was going to be taking time off from his MMA career due to personal issues, with many speculating that his fight with Johnny Hendricks was the last fight of his career. Because of this, George St. Pierre voluntarily vacated the Welterweight Championship belt.

Upon relinquishing his Welterweight Championship belt upon his hiatus, George St. Pierre spent almost four years out of the octagon. Since then, one could argue that the competition and skillset have evolved to where it’d be difficult for George St. Pierre to achieve the same level of success as he did in his first UFC run, especially as he was heading into his mid-to-late 30s.

After a long hiatus, it was announced in 2016 that George St. Pierre re-signed with the UFC for an initial multi-fight. His first fight back was facing Middleweight Champion and UFC veteran Michael Bisping for the belt at the UFC 217 PPV in MSG. And despite having not fought for almost four years, George St. Pierre defeated Michael Bisping in the third round to win his third UFC Championship.

Considering the personal issues that led him to take several years off from fighting, George St. Pierre’s return to win the Middleweight Championship cemented his comeback as one of the greatest in UFC history. Although George St. Pierre voluntarily vacated the Middleweight Championship due to sustaining an illness, thus retiring altogether in 2019, it doesn’t change the fact that George St. Pierre had one of the best career-ending moments that any fighter could ask for.