UFC Legend Encourages Justin Gaethje to Retire

The UFC Freedom 250 event, which took place on June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C., was arguably the greatest mixed martial arts event of all time, not to mention one of the greatest modern sporting spectacles that sports fans have ever witnessed with their own eyes.

There were seven fights on the card, and all seven of them finished by knockout, the first time in UFC history that all fights at an event ended by T/KO.

Following six exciting bouts in the lead-up to the main event, the evening culminated with American Justin Gaethje defeating Georgian Ilia Topuria to become the new UFC lightweight champion.

It was one of the biggest upsets of all time in UFC title history. Gaethje entered the bout as a +400 underdog, but he did not look the part, as he heavily damaged Topuria's face and eyes so much that the former champ's corner was forced to stop the fight at the end of the fourth round.

Thus, the 37-year-old Gaethje pulled off one of the biggest underdog victories ever in MMA. With the White House behind him, "The Highlight" beat Topuria and then backflipped off the top of the Octagon before getting the belt wrapped around him by UFC president Dana White.

He then shook the hand of United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

In the opinion of one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, that should be the final image we see of Gaethje inside the Octagon.

Georges St-Pierre Makes Case for Justin Gaethje to Retire

One of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, Georges St-Pierre, knows what it's like to retire from the sport at the top of your game. He not only did that once -- he did it twice.

Related: LeBron James Divulges Timeline for Potential Retirement Decision

In 2013, St-Pierre defeated Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 to defend the UFC welterweight title for the ninth time and extend his win streak to 12 straight fights.

Despite being just 32 years old, "GSP," as he's affectionately known to MMA fans, stepped away from the game at the height of his power and vacated his 170 lbs title.

Then, in 2017, St-Pierre returned from a four-year retirement and moved up to 185 lbs to fight UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC 217. "GSP" earned the win to capture his second UFC title, but once again, he decided to talk away, this time at age 36.

Now, St-Pierre -- who was in attendance for UFC Freedom 250 as he was cornering his Tristar Gym teammate Aiemann Zahabi in the featured bout of the evening -- is making the case that Gaethje should follow in his footsteps and go out on top, too.

What a magnificent way to end a career it would be for him.'

"You might not like what I'm going to say, but if I were him, because I like him -- retirement," St-Pierre said on "The Break Talk" Podcast.

"I heard (fellow UFC Hall of Famer) Demetrious Johnson say it. That's what I would do. That would be an amazing ending. What else does he want to accomplish? He did it all.

"Of course, for money, if you stop now, you're under the impression you leave 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 because he still can do it.

"But health, I think, is the priority, and also the fact that, man, when you're a professional athlete in combat sports, it's very hard to retire on top, because you're always tempted to see if I can do one more, one more, one more. And he probably can do it.

"But man, what a magnificent way to end a career it would be for him."

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No Shortage of Options for Justin Gaethje

Although "GSP" believes that Gaethje should retire, the new UFC lightweight champion told Joe Rogan this weekend on "The Joe Rogan Experience" Podcast that he will likely keep fighting since he doesn't feel a burning desire for him to walk away yet.

"For right now, I am planning on (fighting again). There's not something natural in me that feels like it's over," Gaethje told Rogan.

Should Gaethje defend the UFC lightweight title for the first time, there are several intriguing options for him.

The first is a matchup against No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, who has been waiting several years to get a title shot of his own. Tsarukyan has won five straight fights and, on paper, is the most deserving title challenger at 155 lbs.

The second option is a rematch against UFC BMF champion Charles Oliveira. In 2022, Gaethje fought Oliveira for the UFC lightweight title. Despite dropping Oliveira early in the fight, he was then submitted. Four years later, Gaethje could fight Oliveira again and try to get revenge, while also getting back the BMF title he once held.

Finally, the third option is UFC superstar Conor McGregor. After five years away from the Octagon, McGregor returns on July 11 when he fights Max Holloway at UFC 329. Should McGregor win that fight, then he could be Gaethje's next opponent. If that happens, then Gaethje would be in for an absolutely massive payday as McGregor is the UFC's cash cow.

Ultimately, the decision to retire or fight again is completely up to Gaethje. He looked outstanding against Topuria, and there's no reason to think he won't look just as good in his next performance.

But, as St-Pierre said, it's unlikely to get any better than beating Topuria in front of the White House, so there's a very real argument that Gaethje should ride off into the sunset on the top of his game.

However, it feels like Gaethje's going to fight again, despite the calls from legends like "GSP" and "Mighty Mouse" for him to step away from it all.

Related: Aaron Rodgers to Retire Following 2026 NFL Season

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 10:17 AM.