Former top-10 ranked UFC lightweight Paul Felder, who is currently working as a commentator for the promotion, is teasing a UFC comeback.
Felder retired from MMA back in May, saying that he was focusing on his work as an analyst with the UFC. However, just four months later, it appears that Felder misses the sport and he wants to get back into the cage. Speaking to UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald following Tuesday night’s Dana White’s Contender Series, Felder admitted that he is considering a comeback, though he stopped short of 100% confirming his return.
“Truthfully, for the first time in a very long time since retirement, I feel like since the triathlon season has slowed and there’s not a lot of races, that I’ve really kind of had a chance to reflect on that it’s over, that I’m not fighting anymore,” Felder said. “I have missed it tremendously. I’ve started hitting pads, I’ve started doing stuff. Now, that’s not to say that I’m making some comeback. But I’m definitely going home, I want to train with Sean Brady and the guys a little bit. I want to see how I feel after a week of training with guys like Sean Brady, Jeremiah Wells, Pat Sabatini, and Andrei Petroski — these guys that are all Philly guys in the UFC now — kicking my ass, and then we’ll go from there.”
Felder has not fought since November 2020, when he lost a split decision to Rafael dos Anjos. Prior to his retirement, Felder was a top-10 ranked fighter in the UFC, so if he does make a comeback, he figures to get a big-name opponent in his return to the Octagon.