Georges St-Pierre Says Door Open for Comeback, Dana White Doesn't Control Him

Nobody seems to know what's next for MMA legend Georges St-Pierre. St-Pierre himself is no different in that regard, but he does suggest one thing; he's not done yet.

He made that clear when speaking with MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani on Monday's installment of The MMA Hour (warning, NSFW language), where he discussed his future and his rocky relationship with the UFC.

"I've not closed the door [on my career]. ... Now that I'm at the end of my career, if I do something, it needs to be something that excites me," he said (h/t MMA Fighting's Shaun Al-Shatti for the transcription). "Something that is a win-win situation that can elevate me. I've said it many times. I know I repeat myself, but it's the truth."

St-Pierre returned from a four-year hiatus in November at UFC 217, where he defeated middleweight champion Michael Bisping in dramatic fashion.

While it was a memorable moment and an incredibly successful event, the contest was surrounded with controversy because of his public headbutting with UFC brass beforehand and questions as to why he was returning after so long for a middleweight title bout when almost his entire career was spent as a welterweight. The success at the box office did not help smooth things over with the company, though, as his quick relinquishment of the title afterward because of an ulcerative colitis diagnosis drew criticism from fans, fighters and pundits alike.

When asked whether the fan gripes beforehand or White's harrumphing before and resigned comments after got to him, the two-division champion waved off all complaints about the contest or how he handled it.

"If I would've lost, I would've lost big. It was a risk. I took the risk. And Dana maybe is not happy about it, because he doesn't control me," he said. "Maybe he's used to dealing with people that he controls, but he does not control me."

The GSP-Dana bridge may or may not be burned at this point, but St-Pierre's doesn't seem done and his reputation as one of MMA's all-time greatest competitors and his enduring drawing power make him a key player in the UFC in 2018.

So when will he come back? Where will that be? And who will it be against? St-Pierre was coy about any details of his potential return, saying it all depended on his condition and health, but it's safe to say if he does, it will be on his terms. Not White's.