GSP celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre stated that the American has reached the peak of his career and has the perfect opportunity to retire at the top of the sport. The organization legend believes that Justin Gaethje should end his career after winning the lightweight title (up to 70,3 kg) against Ilia Topuria , at the White House event, held on June 14th in Washington DC (USA).
For St-Pierre, however, winning the belt would represent the ideal ending to a career already established as one of the most exciting in the organization's recent history. The Canadian highlighted that few athletes manage to leave the sport at their peak and believes that this would be the ideal opportunity for Gaethje to end the cycle without having to expose himself to new risks.
“Justin is the kind of guy who works really hard and bounces back from adversity. If I were him, I’d retire. It would be an incredible ending. What more does he want to achieve? He’s already done everything,” the two-time champion revealed in an interview on The Break Talk podcast.
The former champion's opinion gains weight given the Canadian's history within the organization. The Canadian ended his career after defeating Michael Bisping and winning the middleweight title (up to 83,9 kg) at UFC 217, held in New York (USA) in November 2017. Since then, he has been frequently cited as an example of an athlete who knew how to choose the ideal moment to leave the sport.
Despite St-Pierre's advice, an immediate retirement seems unlikely. Gaethje is experiencing one of the most important moments of his career after defeating Ilia Topuria at UFC Casa Branca , a result that secured him the lightweight title. With this achievement, the fighter finally reached the main objective of the event's history and cemented his name among the greatest athletes in the category's history.
The victory also ended Topuria's undefeated streak in the organization and put the American back in the spotlight of the MMA world. Known for his aggressive style and constant battles in the octagon, the champion has won against some of the division's top names and has built a reputation as a fighter who rarely puts on a fight without excitement.
Gaethje is experiencing the best moment of his career.
Gaethje celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC
Besides the possibility of defending his belt against the division's top contenders, Gaethje still has outstanding sporting commitments that pique the interest of fans. A new confrontation with Charles Oliveira , a rematch against Max Holloway , a possible fight with Arman Tsarukyan , or even a reunion with Topuria are among the scenarios that could shake up the division in the next round.
Exclusive: Michael PQD talks about his brutal UFC debut victory.
Comments