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Over the years, many modern-day gladiators have stepped inside the 21st-century colosseum that is the UFC octagon and etched their names in combat sports history. Some fighters leave behind a legacy so great that fans still crave to see them inside the cage again, even after retiring.
UFC fans can't seem to get enough of some of these retired legends and would always love to see them step inside the octagon one last time. Sometimes, the fans get what they want, and on other occasions, their wishes aren't fulfilled. It isn't easy to return to a sport that requires such physical and mental rigor. However, some fighters still choose to do it.
Miesha Tate is stepping out of retirement to return to the octagon in July, and fans couldn't be any more hyped about the return of 'Cupcake.' Another UFC legend, Nick Diaz, is also set to return to the UFC, according to Dana White. Diaz has always been a fan favorite, and tickets for his potential octagon return will sell like hot cakes.
But one thing is for certain, some UFC fighters will always be persuaded to step out of retirement for the sake of fans, and on some occasions, even business. The popularity of these UFC Hall-of-Famers and the intrigue surrounding their potential return would do massive pay-per-view numbers and the top-brass is aware of the same.
In this article, we look at five such UFC retired fighters who fans would love to see return for lucrative fights.
5) Brock Lesnar (MMA record 5-3-0 [1 NC])
In terms of the ability to sell pay-per-views, Brock Lesnar's star power is only next to that of the mighty Conor McGregor. Apart from the Irishman, Lesnar is the only man in UFC history to have generated over a million PPV buys more than once in his career. His rematch against Frank Mir at UFC 100 sold a massive 1,600,000 PPVs, making it one of the most-watched events in UFC history.
Brock Lesnar is also a former UFC heavyweight champion and registered an awe-inspiring victory against heavyweight knockout artist Mark Hunt in his last outing at UFC 200. Although he won, Lesnar later tested positive for PEDs, and the result was overturned into a no-contest.
In his first stint with the UFC, Lesnar fought seven times and emerged victorious on four occasions. Apart from the intrigue of watching a pro-wrestler transitioning to MMA, Lesnar's ability to move his massive frame with incredible agility and his wrestling skills made him popular in the combat sports world.
Despite not being around for years, former champions like Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier would often call out Brock Lesnar after fights, hoping to grab a big payday. While it is unlikely that he will ever fight again, Dana White would definitely want Lesnar to step inside the octagon again and thrill the fans because that's what's best for business.
4) Daniel Cormier (MMA record 22-3-0 [1NC])
Former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is widely considered one of the greatest fighters to have ever graced the octagon. DC's impeccable wrestling skills combined with his smart and effective striking arsenal made him one of the most dangerous fighters in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions in the UFC.
He shocked the world when he knocked out Stipe Miocic to become the heavyweight champ. Cormier made quick work of the entire heavyweight division on his way to winning the title. However, Miocic got his revenge in their rematch and also emerged victorious in the trilogy fight, following which Cormier chose to hang up his gloves.
Cormier's fierce rivalry with Jon Jones was one of the most heated and most spoken about in UFC history. Whenever the pair were around each other, sparks flew, but not the romantic kind.
Although he's 42 right now, many fans still believe he can compete at the top level. Even UFC president Dana White said he'd want DC to continue fighting. However, Cormier has decided against returning and is happy to call fights instead.
3) Ronda Rousey (MMA record 12-2-0)
Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey called time on her professional career following back-to-back losses against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Prior to that, 'Rowdy' was definitely the most dominant and popular female fighter in the promotion.
From record-breaking PPV numbers to acting in Hollywood movies, there's not much Ronda Rousey didn't do during her stint with the UFC. Rousey's aggression inside and outside the cage is what made her so popular among fans. She'd be hostile to her opponents in the lead-up to fights; inside the cage, 'Rowdy' would make quick work of them.
The losses to Nunes and Holm proved that female fighters had evolved and that being good at one aspect of the game would no longer make the cut. However, fans still want Ronda Rousey to work on her flaws and return to reclaim her lost throne.
While it looks unlikely, the fact that Ronda's bitter rival Miesha Tate is stepping out of retirement might convince the former champ to return to the octagon again.
2) Georges St-Pierre (MMA record 26-2-0)
UFC fans widely consider Georges St-Pierre to be the greatest fighter of all time. His conquests inside the octagon will be remembered for years to come. St-Pierre was a two-division champion in the UFC, having won titles in the welterweight and middleweight divisions.
Unlike most fighters who wait until they hit a rough patch to call time on their careers, GSP quit the sport when he was at the top of his game. When he retired from MMA, St-Pierre was on an incredible 13-fight win streak in the UFC. He was also the undisputed middleweight champion.
He never lost his welterweight title either, but it was vacated due to inactivity following his victory against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167. Now 40, GSP is still in perfect shape, and speculation surrounding his potential return often does the rounds in the world of MMA.
Most recently, GSP also expressed a desire to fight the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, 'The Eagle' doesn't seem interested at the moment. Well, who can tell what the future holds? If GSP and Nurmagomedov ever return to fight each other, the pair will generate massive hype and break several PPV records for sure.
1) Khabib Nurmagomedov (MMA record 29-0)
The one fighter that UFC fans and president Dana White want most to step out of retirement is none other than Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Eagle is 29-0 in his MMA career and is arguably the greatest lightweight in UFC history. In his entire career, Nurmagomedov has lost just one round in his UFC 229 headliner against Conor McGregor.
When Khabib announced his retirement after making quick work of Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, it came as a shock to the entire MMA community across the globe. Dana White tried his best to persuade Nurmagomedov to return to the octagon but the Russian wasn't willing to budge.
According to his manager, Nurmagomedov was even offered $100 million to fight Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match. However, any sum of money won't be enough to convince Nurmagomedov to return to fighting. That's because he promised his mother he'd stop fighting after the bout against Gaethje and he kept his word.
Nurmagomedov has made it clear that he'll only fight again if his mother approves of it and at the moment, it doesn't seem likely.
