Opinion: Will George St. Pierre return to the UFC?
For a long time now, there's been speculation on whether or not former UFC champion and arguably the best fighter to have graced the Octagon, George St. Pierre will be returning for one last hurrah. Because of his name value in the sport of mixed martial arts, his potential return will be billed as a "dream match" as he will most likely face a top-ranked contender or a champion in the UFC.
Not too long ago, St. Pierre gave thoughts on potentially returning for another match, stating he's interested in fighting both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor if he were to return. With Khabib slated to defend his lightweight championship belt against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, there's the possibility of him facing St. Pierre for a potential mega-bout as Khabib himself has stated interest in fighting the former two-division UFC champion.
With Khabib holding an impressive record of 28 wins and no losses, if he manages to beat Ferguson, a matchup between him and St. Pierre will not only be billed as a "dream match," but will most likely garner huge business for the UFC.
With the UFC reportedly struggling in terms of PPV buys over the past few years, it'd make sense for UFC officials to attempt to lure St. Pierre into the match against not only Khabib but McGregor and other potential fighters as well. A match with Jorge Masvidal is another potential fight that can sell tickets and buy-rates, though it depends on St. Pierre being willing to fight someone who isn't as famous as Khabib or McGregor. If St. Pierre were to return for another match, then he'd likely do it real soon before he gets much older and spends more time outside of the octagon.
One indication that St. Pierre could be on his way back real soon is due to Khabib's recent desire that he wants to retire soon. He specifically mentioned that he plans to end his career after a couple more fights, which could mean St. Pierre is his next challenger.
Despite some feeling that he should stay out of fighting, St. Pierre returning for the match would excite a vast number of fans. Him come back to fighting again may even bring back some old fans to tune in and buy future UFC PPV events. Will St. Pierre be on his way back to compete one last time or will continue to retire as a legendary figure in MMA?