UFC Hall of Famer opens door to possible MMA return

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 4:49 PM ET

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One of the most successful fighters in the history of Canadian MMA might be considering a return to competition.

UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre stands alone as the gold standard for Canadian MMA as arguably the greatest fighter in the sport's history, but there was time when his Tristar Gym teammate Rory MacDonald looked to be St-Pierre’s heir apparent to the UFC welterweight throne.

It’s now been nearly three years since MacDonald hung up his gloves, but the UFC, Bellator, and PFL veteran recently opened the door to a potential comeback.

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Rory MacDonald Reveals He's Back To Full-Time Training

Speaking to his countryman Ariel Helwani this week on The Ariel Helwani Show, MacDonald was asked point blank about his fighting future and revealed that he’s back training on a full-time basis.

“I don’t know, but I’m back in the gym full time," MacDonald revealed. "It’s got me in the gym loving training again, that’s for sure. So, I don’t know what it’ll lead to. But I’m enjoying my time in martial arts again, it feels good...I’m training twice a day, three times a day. Having fun with it…It is more than just staying in shape, for sure. I’m trying to improve myself. But there’s nothing for sure, I’m just having fun at this point.”

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MacDonald is already enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame thanks to his epic UFC 189 rematch with Robbie Lawler, which saw “Red King” come up just short of winning the welterweight belt when he was stopped in the fight's final round.

"The Fire Is Always There"

The 36-year-old competed once more under the UFC banner before moving on to Bellator, where he claimed the promotion’s 170 lbs. title and also made a double-champ bid against fellow UFC veteran and then-Bellator Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi in 2018.

MacDonald moved on to the PFL after losing his Bellator title to Douglas Lima, but despite being a few years into his retirement the Canadian says that his desire to compete is as strong as it's ever been.

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“The fire is always there. It’s always part of me. I feel like that was put inside me from an early age, that competition and the love for martial arts. So, that never really died. When I left, even when I was burnt out, I still carried that edge with me. Even though – I’m at peace and everything, and like I’m happy, I’m in a much better life than what I was when I was in the UFC, and in my career. But I still have that part of me that I think I’ll carry for all my life.”

“Red King” closed out his MMA career with a knockout-loss against Dilano Taylor in the 2022 PFL Playoffs, and it remains to be seen if MacDonald’s return to full-time training might be a precursor to a potential comeback fight.