Back in 2013, Johny Hendricks stepped into the Octagon for a highly anticipated fight with UFC welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre. The pair scrapped in the main event of UFC 167, where St-Pierre picked up a controversial split decision to retain the welterweight championship. Following the fight, St-Pierre vacated the title and stepped away from the Octagon.

Now, with a Georges St-Pierre return on the horizon following news that the former champ had signed a new multi-fight contract, and Hendricks currently fighting at middleweight, the former champ spoke on The MMA Hour to discuss the return of Georges St-Pierre, saying:

“I am (surprised to see him back), I wish he would’ve stayed out. But you know what, a competitor is always going to be a competitor and we’ll see how he comes back. I heard he might becoming to 185, so you know I do (want a piece).”

Hendricks then shifted gears, comparing GSP’s hiatus to his own recent skid that saw him go just 2-4 from 2014 to 2016 before snapping a 3-fight skid when he defeated Hector Lombard recently in his middleweight debut.

“So like I went through my rough period, and I did something and was able to bounce back. Whenever he went through his rough period, he got out,” said Johny. “Yeah, you can train, yeah you could do these things, but has he done enough to where he is going to be able to come back a different fighter?”

“Time changes, it always does. One day, the time is going to change where I am not going to be able to compete with these guys anymore. It’s just the way that it is. Once I showed how to defeat Georges St-Pierre, I think people are going to start using that gameplan and it’s going to be harder on him,”

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 2/28/2017.