UFC Veteran Nate Marquardt Planning 2020 Comeback

Former UFC middleweight Nate Marquardt will be returning to mixed martial arts (MMA) action in the coming months.

The former Strikeforce welterweight champion retired in November 2017 after a three-fight losing streak that included decision defeats to Sam Alvey, Vitor Belfort and Cezar Ferreira.

However, over three years on from calling it a day, Marquardt revealed to MMA Junkie that the rumors of him returning are in fact true:

“Yeah, that’s true, I’m going to be making a comeback,” Marquardt said. “I’ve known it for a while now, but I haven’t made it public. I’ve just been training, going to seminary, staying in shape, and helping guys like Ian (Heinisch) and stuff like that.”

As for what led to the decision, “The Great” revealed it all came down to a message from God in his dream:

“Well it’s kind of a crazy story, man, but I had a dream.” Marquardt explained. “God spoke to me, and he confirmed it later in the week by two people I’ve never met before and one friend, as well, that basically I’d be fighting again.

“That was it, man. After I retired, I didn’t train for like two months, and I actually started feeling really bad physically. I was like, ‘Oh man, I need to get back in the gym,’ so I started lifting weights, running, sparring and grappling a little bit, and then I had the dream. So basically, when I retired, I thought that that was it, but I haven’t stopped training. I love mixed martial arts. I love doing it. I love competing, but I really didn’t have a huge desire to compete in it. I was just going to train and maybe teach and stuff like that.”

At 40 years of age as well as winning just three of his last 12 fights, it remains to be seen how wise this decision will be.

“I’d say, you know, that’s reasonable,” Marquardt added of possible skeptics. “That’s the natural reaction to hearing news like this: ‘He’s too old; he’s past his prime.’ But I know I have a future in this sport.”

Whether that future will be in the UFC is another question.

What do you make of Marquardt returning to MMA?