Despite frozen contract, UFC will pay for Georges St-Pierre's ACL surgery

Even though Georges St-Pierre is not an active fighter, Dana White says the UFC will foot the bill for the former welterweight champion’s ACL surgery this week in Los Angeles.

The UFC’s fighter health insurance policy has only been in existence since May 2011, but for St-Pierre, who took a self-imposed hiatus from the sport in December of this past year, there were questions surrounding whether his injury falls under that policy.

White, the UFC’s president, says that even though St-Pierre’s (25-2 MMA, 19-2 UFC) contract with the organization is currently in a “frozen” state, his upcoming surgery is still covered under the insurance agreement because he is not officially retired.

“We have health insurance for the guys,” White told MMAjunkie. “It should be covered even if the contract is frozen. He’s still under contract; he’s still a UFC fighter.”

St-Pierre has not fought since UFC 167 this past November, when he successfully defended his welterweight title for the ninth time against current champion Johny Hendricks.

Just a few weeks after the fight, St-Pierre announced he needed time away from active competition in the sport and opted to vacate the championship belt he had held since 2008.

The 32-year-old maintained an active training scheduled during his semi-retirement. Well, until just a few weeks ago when St-Pierre announced via social media that he had torn his right ACL and would need to undergo the surgery.

What makes the injury all the more devastating is the fact “Rush” required a similar surgery in 2011, when he suffered an ACL injury in his right knee that cost him nearly 19 months on the sidelines.

White says he hasn’t spoken to the former longtime champion since he announced the injury, but the UFC boss saw the amount of effort it took St-Pierre to rehab the first time and empathizes that he’ll have to do it again.

“I haven’t spoken to GSP,” White said. “He blew his ACL, and last time he blew his ACL he was out for a year and two months. So that’s no fun for him.”

Rudolphe Beaulieu, one of St-Pierre’s managers, also confirmed with MMAjunkie that the surgery is indeed covered under the UFC’s insurance policy and will be paid for by the company.