Citing health issues, Georges St-Pierre gives up UFC middleweight title
TORONTO — Citing health issues, Georges St-Pierre is giving up his newly won UFC middleweight title.
The 36-year-old from Montreal won the 185-pound crown Nov. 4 when he dethroned Michael Bisping at UFC 217 in New York. It was the first fight for St-Pierre, the former welterweight title-holder, since he stepped away from the sport four years earlier.
At the time, St-Pierre (26-2-0) said his contract called for him to fight interim champion Robert (The Reaper) Whittaker next.
On Thursday, that plan changed when St-Pierre told the UFC he was giving up the title effective immediately.