TJ Grant discusses potential UFC return
TJ Grant hasn’t been in the Octagon since May of 2013 when he scored an impressive TKO win over Gray Maynard in a title eliminator bout.
Following the win, Grant was expected to face then-champion Benson Henderson at UFC 164, however a concussion sustained in training forced him out of the bout. Grant then went MIA for some time, with many unsure of whether or not he would compete again. In 2014 he was removed from the UFC’s official rankings after being categorized as ‘inactive’ by the UFC.
In 2015, Grant emerged, revealing that his lingering concussion symptoms were gone, but that he was noncommittal about a return to MMA. Grant stated that he was still training, but had been working in a mine to support his family.
Now, over 2 years after his title eliminator win over Gray Maynard, Grant isn’t sure he’s ready to return to the Octagon.
He spoke on The MMA Hour:
“I’ve been doing this sport, or I did this sport for a long time. Can’t say that I’m currently doing it. I’m not going to close the door on never coming back to fight. But at this point, I am just taking care of myself and my family first and foremost. I did well in the UFC. I wouldn’t say I made a lot of money, but I was able to buy a house and then buy another one. At this point, where did this sport really leave me? It kind of left me injured and then I had a little over a year where I just basically accumulated debt like most fighters do in between fights.”
“Basically, I was hurt for awhile and I basically had to go back to work and be a regular guy for a bit. I would definitely entertain the thought of going back to fighting. But at this point, I have to also realize that to get back into fighting it costs money. You got training camps and basically put your whole life on hold. Right now it’s not something that’s in the cards for me having two little ones. It’s obviously taking precedence over my life and, you know, potentially in the future you never know.”
“I still feel like I’d love to compete, I still feel like there is some fire in me. I definitely love combat sports and I love competing, so, I’d like to do it potentially, but I haven’t made my mind up at all.”
Do you think we will ever see Grant in the Octagon again? Sound off below!
