CM Punk back in training, could be set for UFC return

CM Punk could be set for a return to the octagon soon as his coach Duke Roufus posted an image of him in training on social media.

Punk made his highly-anticipated MMA debut at UFC 203 in September 2016 when he faced young prospect Mickey Gall in Cleveland, Ohio.

However, he was outclassed by the 25-year-old who took the fight to the ground instantly before winning in just over two minutes via TKO.

While there has been no word of a potential return to the octagon since for the former WWE champion, Punk had previously remained confident of fighting in the UFC again despite being outclassed.

"I don't want to speak for him [UFC president Dana White], but I think if he wants to kill it, he would have killed it right then," Punk said back in January.

"Until anything is official, I don't want to say either way what he's thinking or what he's thinking. But yeah, I'm pretty confident that it [next fight] will be in the UFC."

Thirteen months on since his MMA debut, Punk's head coach at Roufushead coach recently posted an image on Instagram, revealing that the Chicago native was training once again.

"Back in Punk camp with my man CM Punk," Roufus wrote in his Instagram post. "Working hard and getting better everyday. Working on his next fight."

There is no update on who the opponent could be at this stage, though the UK reality star turned MMA fighter Aaron Chalmers has been campaigning for a fight with the 38-year-old.