"People think it's all kisses and hugs" - Gegard Mousasi sheds light on UFC's 'brutal' nature in contract negotiations 

During a recent interview, Gegard Mousasi opened up about his time with the UFC and how harsh the promotion can be with their fighter's contract negotiations.

The Dutchman spent four years with the company, winning nine fights and losing three in that time. He also carried a five-fight win streak before shockingly leaving for the good of his career and personal life.

Speaking with CBS Sports' Shakiel Mahjouri, Gegard Mousasi detailed what he was told during his first-ever contract signing with the UFC:

"The first contract, they said because I was coming off Strikeforce, okay, I wasn't doing very well in the UFC but they said you sign it or you leave... They said no negotiation, you sign or you leave."

The martial arts legend then described the difficulty that most fighters signed to the promotion have.

"UFC can be hard in negotiations. People think it's all kisses and hugs, believe me they can be brutal. If they need you, Dana White will call you... If they don't need you, you're gonna find out on Sherdog that you've been released."

The issue between the two parties escalated to a point where Mousasi no longer wanted to compete in the octagon. While it would have been nice to see him competing against names like Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, the 36-year-old needed to do what's best for his career and cut ties with the UFC.

Listen to Mousasi's thoughts on the UFC and their negotiating tactics in the video below:

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Gegard Mousasi's legacy in MMA

Despite never being able to capture a UFC title, Gegard Mousasi remains one of the most renowned and decorated fighters in the history of the sport.

As well as being a two-time Bellator middleweight champion, the veteran has held gold in three other MMA promotions. During his 58-fight career, the Holland-native has held the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, the Cage Warriors middleweight strap and was the first to win belts in two separate DREAM divisions.

Alongside his championship accolades, the judo black belt has fought against some of the greatest athletes to ever grace the mixed martial arts. Dan Henderson, Jacare Souza, Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Mark Hunt and Rory MacDonald are just a few of the number of legends he has fought.

Gegard Mousasi is a gifted competitor who not only excelled in MMA but was also an unbeaten kickboxer and had an amateur boxing record of 12-1.