GSP and Khabib wanted bout, but UFC had other plans

Georges St-Pierre confirmed at his retirement press conference that he and his agents were pursuing a fight against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, but the bout never materialized.

"I know Khabib wanted and I wanted, but the UFC had other plans," St-Pierre said.

News of St-Pierre's intention to retire came out Wednesday, and Nurmagomedov made a last-ditch pitch to fight GSP in November 2019.

"It was a fight I could have elevated my legacy, I was excited but unfortunately it takes two fighters and also the organization to make the fight happen and the UFC had other plans for Khabib," St-Pierre said.

Physically, GSP feels on top of his game, but the 37-year-old admitted he no longer possesses the fire that brought about so much success in the Octagon.

"It's a little bit disappointing," he said about not landing the bout with Khabib. "But in a way, not too much because I don't have the same anger that I used to."

He added: "I don't always know what I want, but I know damn well what I don't want, and what I don't want is to retire too late."

One of the most decorated mixed martial artists of all time, St-Pierre retires with a career record of 26-2 and the second-most victories in UFC history (21).