Rory MacDonald opens door to make MMA comeback: ‘I’m enjoying my time in martial arts again’

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald could be ending his retirement.

MacDonald retired from MMA in August of 2022 after a 2-4 run in the PFL. The Canadian said he lost the passion for the sport and didn’t want to hurt anyone anymore. Since then, he has been out of the spotlight. But he has since returned to the gym and helped Stephen Thompson prepare for his last fight.

Now, as he closes in on three years since his retirement, Rory MacDonald is opening up the door for a return.

“I don’t know, but I’m back in the gym full time. It’s got me loving training again, that’s for sure. I don’t know what that will lead to, but I’m enjoying my time in martial arts again. It just feels good,” MacDonald said to Ariel Helwani. “I’m training twice a day, three times a day. It is more than staying in shape, for sure. I’m trying to improve myself. There’s nothing for sure. I’m just having fun at this point, and I’m letting God just take the direction in my life. Where the doors open, if there’s opportunities, I’m going down that path.”

MacDonald challenged Robbie Lawler for the welterweight title at UFC 189, and it’s one of the greatest fights in UFC history. He also won the Bellator welterweight title. Although he won the Bellator title, MacDonald says him not achieving his goals of being a UFC champion burned him out.

Rory MacDonald says he got burnt out from MMA

MacDonald began his pro MMA career in 2005 and had been training since he was a kid. So, after so many years of training and fighting, he got burnt out, which triggered his early retirement from the sport.

“I was just burned out. And when you’re tired of doing something for so long and not seeing results. A lot of things that just didn’t go your way, then you get disappointed about it, and it carries a heaviness about it. But time sometimes can heal,” MacDonald said… “I didn’t watch anything, didn’t really keep up with the date much. I wasn’t training for at least a year or so, I would say. Then I got back in the gym and training and watching shortly in small amounts.

“I think the main reason was being burned out about it and disappointment of how things went, and just a mixture of both of that. Being burned out, not having the drive and interest anymore and disappointment about not accomplishing things,” MacDonald added. “But I’m grateful for it because the last three years have given me a lot of time to do a lot of self-work and look internally. Reminisce about memories and things like that. It was really good for me.”

After three years away, Rory MacDonald is back training and is keeping the door open for a potential return to MMA.