MONTREAL – Rory MacDonald admits there's been temptation to come out of retirement in the nearly three years since he hung up the gloves, but it's always fleeting.
MacDonald (23-10-1), a former Bellator champion and UFC title challenger, retired from the sport following his final bout in August 2022 after a memorable octagon tenure that included a UFC Hall of Fame fight wing battle with Robbie Lawler, along with many other major moments.
The Canadian left the UFC in late 2016 and signed with Bellator, where he won the welterweight title and even made an unsuccessful bid at becoming a simultaneous two-division champ in the middleweight division. He then signed with PFL, where he closed out his career with a 2-4 record and performances that were a far cry from his best.
Although he was only 32 when he retired from MMA, MacDonald started his career in 2005 at age 16. The miles from that early entry into competition and beyond, as well as a change in perspective about what it takes mentally to win at the highest level, ultimately led to his departure. Those same things are what will continue to keep MacDonald away.
"From time to time it has come back, but shortly after, when I actually think about it and what it entails, I'm just not that kind of person anymore," MacDonald said at a fan Q&A prior to UFC 315. "I don't have the drive, the intensity it takes to be at a championship level anymore. Sometimes it's nice to dream when you're having a lot of coffee or something, but when the reality comes back down to it, it's not for me anymore."
Despite his lack of desire to compete for himself, MacDonald said that, despite his low profile in recent years, he hasn't detached entirely from the sport.
MacDonald still trains to keep himself in good health, and also said he does his best to share the knowledge he's gathered from a high-level career onto the next era of fighters, particularly from his native Canada.
With fights against the likes of Carlos Condit, Nate Diaz, B.J. Penn, Robbie Lawler, Demian Maia, Tyron Woodley, Paul Daley, Douglas Lima, Gegard Mousasi and more – there's no doubt he has plenty to pass along.
"There's a ton of guys coming up," MacDonald said. "It's great for Canadian MMA to see the young guys coming up and it's cool to be in the position now to where I can give back to what has been given to me, to the younger generation."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Rory MacDonald shuts down MMA return: 'It's not for me anymore'
