Georges St-Pierre believes Justin Gaethje should hang up his gloves, describing now as the perfect moment to end his career. St-Pierre said Gaethje has already achieved everything there is to achieve in the sport.
Georges St-Pierre has publicly called on Justin Gaethje to retire from mixed martial arts, stating that the current moment represents the ideal time for the lightweight champion to walk away from the sport for good.
St-Pierre, the 45-year-old Canadian legend who compiled a 26-2 record across his career out of Tristar Gym, argued that Gaethje has nothing left to prove. The former two-division champion was known throughout his career for a well-rounded game, averaging 4.16 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 53 percent accuracy rate — numbers that defined his era of dominance.
Gaethje, now 37 years old, holds the lightweight title with a professional record of 28-5. The Arizona native, who trains out of Genesis Training Center, has built his reputation as one of the sport's most relentless pressure fighters, averaging an imposing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. His style has always prioritized forward movement and volume over grappling, reflected in his near-zero submission attempt rate throughout his career.
St-Pierre's remarks did not include any criticism of Gaethje's current abilities, but rather framed retirement as the right move precisely because Gaethje has, in St-Pierre's view, accomplished everything the sport has to offer.
Why it matters
- Gaethje is the reigning lightweight champion, making any retirement discussion a significant divisional storyline
- A departure at 37 would open the 155-pound title picture at a competitive moment for the division
- St-Pierre carries considerable weight as a voice on fighter longevity, having navigated his own retirement decisions publicly
- The comments put renewed spotlight on how long elite fighters should continue competing at the highest level
