In Firas Zahabi’s opinion, GSP could still make a UFC return.
Georges St-Pierre even after officially retiring from MMA, still trains everyday and is a constant presence in Canada’s Tristar Gym. According to his long time friend and coach, Firas Zahabi, the all-time great is happily retired, but thinks a good offer from the UFC could still entice him to return.
“Georges is officially retired, but he still trains regularly in the gym, absolutely, all the time. We work together on a regular basis. We like to train. Just because he is retired, doesn’t mean the training has to stop,” Zahabi said on a recent AMA session on his YouTube channel.
“If something very interesting comes his way as an offer — this is just my opinion, I don’t want to talk for Georges — I feel Georges still has that spark in him. I think he might come back if something really amazing comes about,” he said. “But other than that, I think he’s happy being retired. He’s living a good life.”
Related: GSP approached by WWE after MMA retirement, open to ‘special appearance’
St-Pierre, now 38, mentioned failed UFC negotiations for a bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov, and ‘BS’ politics as some of the reasons for hanging up the gloves. Khabib and his camp has still been constantly been calling for that specific match up, but UFC has not shown much interest.
As he announced his decision, St-Pierre and his camp insisted that it was not a negotiation tactic. He has also since filed his retirement papers and left the USADA testing pool, making a return less likely to happen anytime soon (or ever?).