Former WEC champ and onetime UFC title challenger Eddie Wineland is still recovering from a broken jaw he suffered in a losing effort against Johnny Eduardo, the second such time fighting left him with the painful injury.

Wineland (21-10-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) was just over a year into his career as a pro MMA fighter when he first broke his jaw in 2004. He kept fighting and eventually went on to win the bantamweight title in the WEC, now-defunct, before UFC parent Zuffa bought it.

Another devastating injury tested his will to continue, but he’s turned a corner. Once again healthy, he’s ready to get back into the cage. Although he was convinced he would retire, he’s changed his mind and decided he can’t be happy walking away from the sport right now.

“My immediate reaction was, ‘Screw this, it’s not worth it, I’m done, and I’m over it,'” Wineland, who fought Eduardo (27-9 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in May at UFC Fight Night 40, told MMAjunkie Radio. “A month goes by, and it’s, ‘I really don’t think I want to.’ Another couple weeks to a month goes by, and it’s, ‘Yeah, I’m kind of thinking about it.’ Where I sit right now, it’s that want-what-you-can’t-have feeling, when you can’t do it, but you really want to do it.”

Wineland said his competitive spirit was the driving force in convincing him to give the sport another try after a 1-2 stretch in the octagon that included a failed bid for the title this past fall against now-former champion Renan Barao.

“At the time (I was considering retirement), I could walk away and be content,” he said. “I’ve done a lot more than a lot of people will ever do in the sport. A fraction of the people do what I’ve done. That being said, me being the competitive person that I am, I’m not sure I can walk away and be content any more.

“I need to get back in there and compete. I need to satisfy that itch.”

Unfortunately for Wineland, the metal plates holding his jaw together are still in place, and until they’re removed and the bones have had time to strengthen, he won’t be doing any fighting.

“The doctor actually wanted to take them out last Friday, and unfortunately, I had all kinds of stuff going on over the weekend, so I really couldn’t get it done,” Wineland said. “It’s not imperative that we get them out immediately, but he wants to take them out, just for the simple fact that my face doesn’t like them in there.

“Sooner or later, they’ll come out. It’s about an hourlong surgery and probably a couple of days of taking it easy. They’ll put me completely under for it.”

While he heals, he’ll have plenty of things to occupy his time. He and his wife are expecting a child in December, and they’re also moving into a new house. A self-described amateur carpenter, he also built a barn with a few friends. And he continues to work as a firefighter near Chesterton, Ind.

Wineland watched this past Saturday’s UFC 177 event as Joe Soto stepped in for the ill Barao to get a shot at the title now held by T.J. Dillashaw.

“For the people who have paid their dues and put in their time for a title shot, it’s kind of a slap in the face,” he said. “But at the same time, the show must go on. I can only imagine what (UFC President) Dana (White) and the higher ups were thinking, (like), ‘We’ve got to put something together in the next 24 hours.’ Great for Joe Soto.”

Wineland already has his sights set on an opponent when he returns to the octagon, and it’s no newcomer.

“I remember Bryan Caraway kind of calling me out, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth, for the simple fact that it was one month after I had broken my jaw,” he said. “It was well-known that I was thinking about retiring, and I’m in a weakened state, and it’s, ‘I’m going to fight Eddie or Michael McDonald.’ You know I just broke my jaw and you know I’m thinking about retiring, so why would you even throw that out there?”

Caraway (19-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) currently is booked to face bantamweight contender Raphael Assuncao (22-4 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 54 in October, but Wineland doesn’t plan on fighting until June 2015. By then, he said, Caraway should be plenty ready to answer for his words.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.