Justin Gaethje Told To Retire

By FIGHTSPORTS Jun 25, 2026 Last updated Jun 25, 2026

MMA legend Georges St-Pierre (26-2) has urged Justin Gaethje (28-5) to walk away from the sport following his undisputed lightweight title win at UFC Freedom 250 against Ilia Topuria (17-1), as the former 2-division UFC champ believes there is nothing left for the 37-year-old to prove.

“You might not like what I’m going to say, but if I were him — because I like him — I would retire. I heard Demetrious Johnson say it, but that’s what I would do. That would be an amazing ending. What else does he want to accomplish? He did it all. He did it all,” St-Pierre

Gaethje claimed the undisputed lightweight title by stopping Topuria before the fifth round on the White House lawn, adding the title to a resume that already includes two interim UFC titles and the BMF belt. Since arriving in the UFC in 2017, he has accumulated 17 post-fight bonuses in just 16 fights while also holding the record for most “Fight of the Night” bonuses in UFC history with 11. St-Pierre acknowledged the financial pull but maintained that Gaethje’s health should take precedence.

“For money, if you stop now, you are under the impression that you’re leaving money on the table, maybe. Because you’re fighting for a title. I’m sure he can still beat a lot of guys. Maybe he can still go on a roll. But health, I think, is the priority. When you’re a professional athlete in combat sport, it’s very hard to retire on top because you’re always tempted — one more, one more, one more. But man, what a magnificent way to end a career it would be for him,” St-Pierre

Whether Gaethje considers retirement or not remains to be see, however he did admit that it’s highly unlikely he fights again this year, and has received a 180-day medical suspension due to injuries he suffered in his upset title won over Topuria.