10 Huge UFC Stars Who Could Return In 2017

8. Brock Lesnar

Georges St. Pierre, of Canada, left, reacts following his UFC 167 mixed martial arts championship welterweight bout versus Johny Hendricks on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in Las Vegas. St. Pierre won by split decision. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
2016 Getty Images

Yes, Brock Lesnar just served the UFC notice that he is retiring from the sport of MMA. Don't take that to mean that he'll never fight again, however. Remember, Lesnar retired once before.

Also keep in mind that Lesnar's retirement isn't just about the UFC. It's about USADA.

As long as Brock Lesnar remained an active UFC fighter, he remained active in the USADA pool of fighters to be tested for performance enhancing drugs and other banned substances. Which means that he would be required to inform USADA of his whereabouts at all times.

The notoriously private Lesnar probably saw that as quite an inconvenience, since any hunting trip or any other excursion he took would require updating USADA and making himself available if they wanted to drop in for a short notice drug screening.

With WrestleMania around the corner, Lesnar wasn't getting back in the cage short-term, so retiring made sense. However, with all of four to six months warning (as of April 1st retired fighters will require six months testing), he can jump back in the testing pool and fight again, if he sees fit.

Is he really done? Who knows. Lesnar is a smart business man, and there's at least one more big payday in the UFC if he wants it. He could be back for a show by year's end, if he really wanted.

Contributor
Contributor

Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.