HE WON’T BE trying his hand at professional boxing but Cathal Pendred says that a return to the rugby pitch could soon be on the cards.

Pendred was an up-and-coming prospect in rugby until he opted to pursue a career in mixed martial arts instead at the age of 20.

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That proved to be a wise choice for the Dubliner, who’s now 29. He has since progressed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship — MMA’s elite organisation — and picked up four victories since making his UFC debut last year.

Pendred had been hoping to branch out into professional boxing after his next UFC fight — against Tom Breese in Dublin on 24 October — but that was blocked by UFC officials.

However, boxing’s loss could be rugby’s gain. While Pendred has no intention of abandoning his plans to rise up the UFC’s welterweight division, he told The42 that he’s tempted to give rugby “another bash” too.

Pendred, who played club rugby with Clontarf, was in the second-row for Belvedere College when they won the Leinster Schools Senior Cup in 2005. Cian Healy and Ian Keatley were also members of the team that defeated Blackrock College at Lansdowne Road.