Rory MacDonald confident GSP can still hang with best, suggests title wouldn't be priority

Georges St-Pierre

Rory MacDonald is adamant he doesn’t know if former longtime UFC welterweight champion and training partner Georges St-Pierre will commit to a return to the octagon.

What MacDonald (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) does know, however, is that should St-Pierre (25-2 MMA, 19-2 UFC) ever decide to end his hiatus and make a comeback, he’ll still be competitive at the elite level.

“He was a champion for many, many years at the top of the sport,” MacDonald told MMAjunkie. “If he decides he’s ready to come back, he’s ready. I have all the confidence in the world in him.”

St-Pierre vacated the UFC belt and took a break from fighting in December 2013 after he registered his eighth consecutive  170-pound title defense, against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in November 2013.

Joe Rogan and Rory MacDonald

With the two-year anniversary of the Hendricks bout rapidly approaching, many, including a once-optimistic UFC President Dana White, began to believe St-Pierre’s final octagon appearance had already come and gone.

That’s until St-Pierre recently hinted that he’s starting to feel the lure of competition. The comment sparked another round of speculation about “Rush” and which fighters he could possibly face in a highly anticipated return.

For many years MacDonald was forced to answer questions about whether he would fight one of his main training partners if the situation presented itself. He always shut down the notion, and when St-Pierre left, the questions fizzled.

MacDonald is not worried about being asked similar questions now, though. If St-Pierre fights again, he’s unlikely to pursue the belt and therefor would not enter MacDonald’s crosshairs, he said.

“From what we’ve talked about, he’s not coming back for the belt,” MacDonald said. “He’s coming back for the odd fight I think that interests him. … I don’t know if he’s coming back. But as far as I know, if he does, I think he’s more interested in super fights and whatnot.”

MacDonald, though, said he’s doesn’t have any real knowledge.

“Honestly I never talk to him about it,” MacDonald said. “Usually we just talk as friends and work and train, and I try to stay out of that. It’s his decision. He’s a smart guy.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.