Despite rumors, Georges St-Pierre still unsure about returning to the UFC
Georges St-Pierre recently got cleared to return to training after having surgery earlier this year to repair damage on the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. There was an awful lot of rejoicing in the MMA world because St-Pierre's return to the gym somehow translated into rumors about an eventual return to the UFC.
Unfortunately, the truth always seems to get in the way of a good story.
While the multi-time UFC welterweight champion is indeed back in the gym after going through recovery and rehabilitation on his knee, it doesn't mean he's any closer to a decision that would bring him back to the Octagon.
"I'm going to tell you the truth. I always train, I started training when I was seven-years old and I never stopped. Training is part of my life so it doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean I'm going to be back or not," St-Pierre told Chael Sonnen recently on his podcast.
"It's just that training whether I retire or not or whether I comeback or not, I'm always going to be training. I like to feel in shape. To feel good in my own skin and for that, that's why I'm training."
It's probably not the news that UFC president Dana White and the rest of the executives at the promotion where hoping to hear. St-Pierre was not only one of the most dominant champions in the history of the sport, but he was also the biggest cash cow at the live gate and on pay-per-view.
St-Pierre has been a part of some of the highest grossing fights the UFC has ever promoted and a return to action would surely spark huge numbers.
The problem remains that St-Pierre just hasn't found the fire to come back again. When he stepped away from the sport late last year following a very close, controversial decision over Johny Hendricks with the welterweight title up for grabs, St-Pierre said he needed a break.
It appears his mindset hasn't changed much since that fight and the only thing St-Pierre is doing right now is determining if he'll find that hunger again or if his competitive appetite has already been satisfied.
"I didn't feel that hunger, that will to fight," St-Pierre said. "When I asked myself the question, I told myself look at winning the UFC title for me, if you put happiness on a scale, who would be more happy to win the title? Would it be me to win another title or would it be Johny Hendricks the title for the first time?
"I realized the new guys coming, they would be way more happy than me to win the title. Then I realized I lost the motivation for different kind of reasons as well and if you lose the motivation you can't reinvent yourself. You stay the same Georges St-Pierre you are and for me it was time after the fight, I need to take time off to see where I am going. Because I have a lack of motivation."
In the year St-Pierre has been away the division has changed dramatically at the top. Hendricks now stands as champion with Robbie Lawler cemented as the No. 1 contender. Names like Matt Brown and Tyron Woodley decorate the top five while his friend and training partner Rory MacDonald is waiting in the wings as the next in line for the title shot.
And St-Pierre is just enjoying life in Canada, exploring movie roles and living the good life.
As of now it certainly doesn't seem that he's mounting a return to fighting, but there's no telling when he might get the itch again and he's certainly got the athletic ability to scratch it. If he does comeback the only way St-Pierre would be satisfied is if he knew he could really go with the best fighters in the world again. Without that possibility it doesn't seem likely he'll ever see the inside of the Octagon again.
"I need to reinvent myself," St-Pierre said about a potential return. "To become a much better version than what I was."
