GSP gives up belt and announces temporary retirement from UFC

Georges St Pierre confirmed, this Friday (13), that he will step away from fighting for an indefinite period of time, thus giving up his welterweight belt.

Since you won John hendricks Controversially, at UFC 167, in November, the Canadian has shown his desire to take a sabbatical in order to resolve personal problems.

However, the decision does not mean St. Pierre's definitive retirement, as the fighter left open a possible return to the octagon in the future.

“I've been fighting in the UFC for a long time. I had 22 fights in the organization, several of which were for titles, and I have faced a lot of pressure, a lot of demands and a lot of criticism. I've decided I need some time away. I know that the UFC is a business that cannot wait for my problems. I am giving up my title out of respect for the other competitors. I want to come back, but now I need some time”, said the Canadian.

“I've been thinking about this since before UFC 167. The situation I'm in is a lot of pressure. Every fight is like I add even more weight to my shoulders. There comes a point where I need to maintain my mental balance. I'm 100% physically, I'm still young, but mentally I can't face a new training process for a fight and I don't know when I will. In order not to keep others waiting, I am leaving my title vacant. When I'm ready, I'll come back as a challenger. I've done this a few times and if I have to do it again, I will. And I will come back even stronger”, added the now former champion.

Dana White, president of the UFC, supported the athlete's decision. “I agree 100% with Georges. He explained the situation to me and I completely understood. You need to be 100% mentally, physically and psychologically. If you're not fully focused, it's best to take a break. It was the right decision”, he said.

The announcement represents the end of St. Pierre's second stint as UFC champion. The first one lasted just five months: after winning Matt hugs, in November 2006, the Canadian was defeated in his first defense, against Matt Serra, in April 2007.

A year later, GSP fought back and regained the belt, which he held until December 2013. In total, he made nine defenses, second only to Anderson Silva, the record holder with ten saves.