Coach: Liddell coming out of retirement depends on opponent

It would take a lot for Chuck Liddell to join the lengthy list of fighters to backpedal on their retirements.

"The Iceman" hasn't seen the inside of the Octagon since June 2010, but a recent Instagram post flaunting an uncharacteristically chiseled physique has sent the rumor mill abuzz.

The rumblings were addressed on Monday's edition of the "Anik and Florian" podcast by Liddell's longtime trainer, John Hackleman, who stated he wouldn't begrudge the former champ for a comeback bout if it meant earning a big payday, although it would be paramount to pit him against the right man.

"Just like when they first wanted him to quit and he wanted to keep fighting, everybody was thinking I was trying to push him to keep fighting, which isn’t true," Hackleman said, according to MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew. "But like I always said, it’s whatever is in his heart. 3 million bucks? Who is gonna tell someone, 'No. I’m not gonna allow you to make $3 million, which is more than most people make in three lifetimes.'

"It would all depend upon - this sounds so bad. Seriously, the people who know me know what a terrible mother hen I am when it comes to matching my fighters, but it would depend on the match. It would all depend on the match. I’m not gonna name who I would let him fight - well, it’s not up to me to let him fight or not - but who I would okay and who I wouldn’t."

Liddell called it a career in late 2010 at age 41 after suffering three straight knockouts and dropping five of his last six fights. While he'd never keep the former light heavyweight king from strapping on the gloves again, Hackleman couldn't help but think Liddell would be tainting his legacy and long-term financial stability if he did so.

"But even $3 million, I don’t think that would be enough to put his life at risk and his legacy at risk. Because his legacy, not only for his own self-esteem but his legacy for his future earnings as well, could be worth a hell of a lot more than $3 million and tarnishing it to a certain degree, that might not be worth it. So it would all depend on the opponent."