LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 16: (L-R) Georges St-Pierre punches Johny Hendricks in their UFC welterweight championship bout during the UFC 167 event inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 16, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has long flirted with the idea of coming back to the UFC, and now he's confirmed that talks are ongoing for a potential return to the Octagon.
St-Pierre was in Toronto on Tuesday night where he did a brief interview with TSN about his current status as a semi-retired fighter and whether he was contemplating a return to action.
St-Pierre was coy not to let too much information slip out, but he did confirm that he's on good terms with the promotion and they are talking right now about his future.
"I'm in good terms with the UFC. We're talking, everything is possible but I don't know right now. I can't tell you everything," St-Pierre said. "I have to keep some secrets."
St-Pierre has been out of action since 2013 when he defended his welterweight title for the ninth time in a win over Johny Hendricks.
Following that fight, St-Pierre hinted at taking a sabbatical from the sport, and several weeks later he surrendered his welterweight title and took an extended break from fighting.
Since that time, St-Pierre has continued training and working with his teammates while rumors about his return continued to circulate.
St-Pierre has never committed to a return to action, but it appears he's talking to the UFC right now about the possibility.
In a separate interview on Tuesday, St-Pierre once again confirmed talks are ongoing with the UFC but also said the exclusive sponsorship deal with Reebok could be a sticking point in the negotiations.
"I am not able to tell you a scoop, if there is any news it is the UFC that will decide to release it," St-Pierre said (translation by Bloody Elbow). "I can say that I am on good terms with them. But we sometimes do not agree on some things.
"My contract is very old. It was done even before Reebok entered the UFC, so there are several things that come into play."
There had been rumors for months that St-Pierre was potentially negotiating a return for July's UFC 200, which is expected to be one of the biggest cards of the year.
As time ticks away and more fights are announced for that card, it appears less and less likely that St-Pierre could return on that date. But if he declares that he's coming back to the UFC, any fight he's involved in would immediately become a major draw.
At the time of his exit from the UFC, St-Pierre was the company's biggest draw on pay-per-view, although he'd have some catching up to do upon his potential return with names like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey dominating that avenue these days.
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