Georges St-Pierre set to announce retirement following failure to secure Khabib Nurmagomedov bout

20 Feb, 2019 17:21 / Updated 6 years ago

Former two-weight UFC world champ Georges St-Pierre is reported to be announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts at a press conference in Montreal on Thursday after talks with Khabib Nurmagomedov broke down.

Reports on social media, initially reported by Reseau des Sports reporter Benoit Beaudoin, revealed details of an official UFC press conference from the Bell Center in Montreal, as well as its likely subject, on Wednesday afternoon. 

The source also states that difficulties in arranging a fight between 'GSP' and Nurmagomedov was the defining reason behind St-Pierre's decision. 

St-Pierre, 37, has been linked in recent weeks to a high profile bout with Nurmagomedov, with the Russian champion's manager Ali Abdelaziz confirming their interest in it, in a social media post as recently as last week.

"I understand that maybe GSP might have to fight my brother Khabib Nurmagomedov," he wrote.

"This is a fight Khabib wants, his father wants and I want. It will be one of the biggest UFC legacy fights in history to determine who is the greatest of all time."

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Talks, it seems, have not gone well. Nurmagomedov remains under suspension for his actions post-fight after his victory against Conor McGregor last October and has implied that he will not consider a return to action until November at the earliest, which would mark two years since the date of St-Pierre's most recent fight, where he won the middleweight world title from Michael Bisping at Madison Square Garden.

Despite relinquishing the title just weeks later, St-Pierre officially remained an active competitor and had been linked to several opponents in recent months, also including McGregor.

Recent talk had appeared to suggest that his comeback would happen sooner rather than later, but Thursday's press conference appears as if it will signal the final act of a legendary mixed martial arts career which saw the Canadian fighter win world titles in two separate weight classes and becoming one of the sport's first true 'breakout' stars. 

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