The Canadian Press

Georges St. Pierre gestures in this file photo taken at the Bell centre in Montreal Friday April 18, 2008. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter McCabe)

TORONTO — Move over David Beckham. Canadian fighter Georges St. Pierre is stripping down to show off his underwear -- and chiselled body.

The UFC welterweight champion has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Under Armour, a Baltimore-based company whose "performance apparel" line includes underwear.

"Not only is Georges one of the biggest stars in one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, but his dedication to training and making himself the best at what he does aligns perfectly with our Brand's mission to make all athletes better," Steve Battista, Under Armour"s senior vice-president, said in a statement Thursday. "When we found out that he was a fan of ours, we jumped on the opportunity to bring him into the Under Armour family."

Starting in the spring, St-Pierre will become the face of Under Armour's BoxerJock and BoxerBrief underwear, and help promote the company's Recharge suit, designed for post-workout wear.

And befitting his Canadian heritage, the mixed martial arts star will also promote Under Armour's ColdGear which is intended to protect athletes in cold temperatures.

"I'm very happy. It's a dream come true for me," St. Pierre said of his latest sponsorship deal.

"It's just going to keep (getting) better and better," he added.

The five-foot-10 St. Pierre, who fights at 170 pounds, is already a spokesman for Gatorade. And his handlers believe the Under Armour deal shows he has further penetrated the mainstream.

Mixed martial arts has exploded in popularity in recent years. But some companies have shied away from affiliating themselves with the violent combat sport.

St. Pierre, however, is a squeaky-clean athlete with Hollywood good looks who comes from a modest working-class Quebec backround. One of the first things he did with his UFC wininngs was pay off his parents' mortgage.

"Pairing GSP with Under Armour is a testament to the explosive growth of MMA, and the popularity and cultural relevance of its top fighter, among consumers worldwide," said Howard Nuchow, co-head of CAA Sports, which helps represents St. Pierre.

St. Pierre joins a roster of Under Armour spokesmen that includes Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears, Santana Moss of the Washington Redskins, Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals, Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs, snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis and downhill skier Lindsey Vonn.

Under Arnour was founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank.

Shari L. Spencer, president of GSP Enterprises, says another major sponsorship deal in the works for the Canadian.

"There's been a flurry of activity," she said of interest in the 28-year-old St. Pierre, whose MMA record is 19-2.