[alnorth]

Some more interesting details. The biggest problem is that GSP had a huge sponsorship deal with Under Armour for an enormous amount of money per fight, but he wasn't going to get that if he had to wear Reebok. UFC was unwilling to match that, they figured they had the contract and leverage, so GSP sat out until the UFC realized that they couldn't pressure him into signing the Reebok deal.

So, GSP started negotiating with Lorenzo Fertitta on a new deal that wouldn't give him everything he wanted, but get him closer to being made whole. When the UFC was sold, the new owners pulled the offer that Lorenzo gave to GSP.

So, GSP hired a lawyer to look at his contract. The lawyer said he thought he had a case and gave the UFC a deadline to offer GSP a fight under the old terms or they would declare a breach and terminate the contract. Right before the deadline, the UFC asked GSP if he wanted to fight Lawler, but with Reebok. Ignoring the Reebok issue, GSP said that he knew Lawler was recently pulled from a card and wanted to take some time off, so they didn't even see that as an actual, real serious offer of a fight. After the deadline, GSP's lawyer informed the UFC that they considered the contract to be terminated and then GSP went on Helwani's show to talk about it.