Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre walked away from the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) following his successful title defense against Johny Hendricks at the UFC 167 pay-per-view (PPV) event back in November.

Will he ever come back?

It's possible, but "Rush" has been non-committal to a potential return date -- if one even exists -- as he works on the personal issues (including OCD) that led to his decision to hang up the gloves. But even if he gets his head together, an Octagon return would surprise former nemesis Matt Hughes.

That's because the retired welterweight tells Sportsnet (via MMA Fighting) that he doesn't thinks St. Pierre is in a big hurry to come back and take another beating from "Bigg Rigg."

His words:

"People have been catching Georges a little bit, and I'm talking the past three or four years. People have been catching up to him, to his abilities. He's at the age where he's going to start slowing down just a little bit. Georges has made a lot of money. Gosh, what's he got to prove? What's he want to do? I wasn't real surprised. I would probably be a little more surprised if he ever came back. I don't think he wants to go in there and face Johny Hendricks again. Judging wise, it could have been close. Even though I did have Johny winning, the first round was extremely close. On the ground, Johny Hendricks won. He beat GSP up. In the rounds Georges won, he barely won. So I don't think he wants to go back in and take another beating like that against Johny Hendricks."

St. Pierre beat Hughes for the 170-pound title way back at UFC 65 in late 2006.

Since then, "Rush" has been virtually unstoppable, but came under fire in the second half of his championship reign for his inability to finish fights. Then came a close call against Hendricks, a split decision win that many fight fans (and promoters) ruled in favor of the challenger.

Close, but no cigar.

In his absence, Hendricks moves on to battle Robbie Lawler for the vacant strap at UFC 171 next month in Dallas, Texas, Hughes wages an online war against pastaweight champion Matt Serra, and St. Pierre autographs a pair of breasts at a Bacardi celebration.

In other words, just another day in UFC.