Georges St-Pierre was one of the biggest stories coming out of UFC 196 - and he didn't even fight. In fact, St-Pierre hasn't fought in the UFC since 2013 and is not under contract with the promotion at this time, but his presence at the event got a lot of press because people believed it was a sign that he would be back soon.
The rumors of a potential comeback have since been confirmed and now it is just a matter of St-Pierre striking a deal with the UFC to return and fight. The talks between the two sides have been ongoing for some time now, but it appears that there is progress being made.
In an interview Monday, St-Pierre revealed that the talks between him and the UFC have become more serious. The 34-year-old fighter said he is putting himself through a test training camp to see how his body feels before officially deciding to get back into the octagon, but by all accounts he has kept himself in great shape.
Of course, the UFC and St-Pierre still have to agree on a contract and, while both seem very willing, there is one final hang-up. Back when St-Pierre last fought, he was able to wear his own sponsors and make extra money during a fight. Now though, the UFC has an outfitting policy with Reebok, so St-Pierre won't be able to wear his own sponsors and he would like to be able to make up that money somehow.
Despite the Reebok deal being a potential roadblock in negotiations, it should not be what keeps St-Pierre from coming back and fighting. The former welterweight champion is a legend in the sport of MMA and the UFC continues to grow, so they should be willing to do whatever it takes to get him back in the octagon as soon as possible. St-Pierre wouldn't commit to definitely being back, as he says anything can happen in the UFC, but all signs are pointing that way and the more serious discussions make it seem like his return could be relatively soon.
As for who and when he would fight if he does come back, that is still up in the air, but there have been rumors. A welterweight title match with Robbie Lawler, who doesn't have his next defense scheduled yet, is a possibility, while a fight with Anderson Silva is also a possibility considering almost every UFC fan wanted to see them fight back in the day. For what it's worth, GSP's striking coach Freddie Roach is of the mindset that he will fight at UFC 200, which is set to be headlined by McGregor vs. Diaz 2.
