Five-time champion Mat Fraser set the CrossFit world on fire for a hot minute with a doozy of a response to kick off a podcast. Fraser, who appears to have started a show with fellow competitor Josh Bridges and Sevan Matossian, kicked off the opening episode with quite the statement. Matossian, a filmmaker who has worked in the CrossFit realm, asked Fraser if he is going to be competing in 2021. “I don’t know yet,” responded Fraser, and the headlines, chatter and rumours started swirling. Fraser, who made the comments before CrossFit released its 2021 rule book , then went on to clarify and expand on an answer that could easily have been taken out of context. “We’re waiting until all the stuff is released,” he said. “You know every year there has been changes. I remember back, there’s rumours of super regionals, or regionals going away or all that stuff. We don’t put together an attack plan until like we see facts – even when it comes from a super reliable source. Yeah, so right now we’re just enjoying the off-season.” Fraser is likely referring to himself and fiancée Sammy Moniz, who also feeds and fuels the reigning CrossFit Games champion, along with his stable of close allies and coaches. The only person who knows what is going on in Fraser’s head is himself, and playing his cards close to his chest is part of his character. Froning responds to Fraser’s ‘boldfaced lie’ CrossFit fans were quick to reason that he may be finally hanging up his shoes after such a long, dominant ride at the top. This was compounded by some interviews Fraser did during the Games where it was easy to allude to the fact that he wasn’t thinking about 2021, or could be misconstrued as him contemplating retirement. If you listen to the rest of his response to Matossian, it becomes quite clear the answer can easily be taken out of context. Fraser lays out his strategy eloquently, the fact that when he is competing in say, the 2020 CrossFit Games, the 2021 Games are not on his mind. Most professional athletes have developed this type of mental strategy. It’s all about the next play or moment, and really, nothing else matters beyond that. Fraser has had some time to digest his fifth win, in which he passed Rich Froning as the most successful CrossFit athlete of all-time, but he’s kept that to himself. Fraser will have to make a decision, and it is an interesting one. He’s won five titles in a row, and unless he somehow discovers the fountain of youth, sooner or later, he will relinquish that spot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mathew Fraser (@mathewfras) Fraser still won the 2020 Games in convincing fashion and there is no universe where he will not be favoured to win in 2021, or 2022 for that matter. But the 31-year-old now faces a question all athletes have to face in their career, when to call it a career. Michael Jordan’s second retirement, after winning his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls in the 1997-98 NBA Finals, is an interesting case study. Jordan was repeatedly quoted as saying going out a winner was paramount. Jordan balked at the idea of willowing away through the years. Of course, Jordan would return, for the 2001-02 season with the Washington Wizards and, of course, he was not the player he was with the Bulls. Father Time catches up with all of us, but there weren’t a lot of people complaining as they got to see the greatest basketball player lace up the sneakers a few more times. Chances are, Fraser will compete in the 2021 Games and chances are he will win again, probably in convincing fashion. He has proved every sceptic wrong. CrossFit’s Mat Fraser and Rich Froning not speaking He is CrossFit’s greatest athlete of all-time and his five consecutive titles are probably untouchable. As the sport grows and parity continues to expand, winning multiple titles in a row will become harder and harder. We’ve seen it in every sport that comes out of its infancy. The only person that may surpass him is his training partner and four-time women’s champion Tia-Clair Toomey. Or Froning, coming out of retirement for one last kick at the can, after their friendship, or lack there of , was recently made public, before a reconciliation. Now wouldn’t that set the CrossFit world on fire for a hot minute, or two.