Jordan Mein is the latest fighter to experience a short-lived retirement from MMA competition.
After announcing in August 2015 that he was done with the sport at age 25, Mein (29-10 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is plotting a comeback to competition as soon as possible.
UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten revealed the news on a recent edition of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. MMAjunkie confirmed his comments with Mein’s head coach and father, Lee Mein.
Mein is still only 26, but he’s a well-traveled veteran of the sport with 39 professional bouts and a career that began in June 2006.
The Canadian welterweight spent time in Strikeforce and the UFC before hanging up his gloves with a winning record in both promotions. His three combined losses in the promotions came against highly regarded fighters in current UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, as well as longtime contenders Matt Brown and Thiago Alves.
Mein’s UFC contract froze when he announced his retirement, but now that he’s ready to get back in the octagon, he must first handle some administrative dealings.
Before competing Mein must go through a four-month testing period required by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which oversees the UFC’s drug testing program, for athletes coming out of retirement. Exemptions from the period have been made for the likes of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, who made a surprise return to the sport at UFC 200 in July, but it doesn’t appear Mein will pursue that option.
According to James Lynch of FloCombat, Mein officially entered the USADA testing pool this past month, which, depending on the exact date, could possibly line “Young Gun” up for a slot of the UFC 206 card at Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Dec. 10.
Mein’s most recent victory came at UFC Fight Night 49 in August 2014 when he scored a 72-second knockout of longtime MMA veteran Mike Pyle. After that he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Alves at UFC 183 in January 2015 in what would be his final bout before announcing his retirement.
