Former WWE star CM Punk will step into the Octagon for the second time after his embarrassing mixed martial arts debut against Mickey Gall at UFC 203. Though there is no word on Punk's second opponent, UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Phil Brooks is a shoo-in for another bout.

In a recent chat with The Associated Press, White said that the 39-year-old Punk will return to the octagon in the near future. “I like that guy. He’s a good dude He wants one more. He wants to get another shot. I’m going to give it to him."

When asked if he had an opponent in line for Punk, White said, "(Not yet), but I'm working on it. He’s a completely different case than most normal human beings, so I’m going to give him another shot."

CM Punk's next fight: Will former WWE star fare better?

According to The Bloody Elbow, a number of controversies delayed Punk's debut fight in the UFC. "The UFC signed CM Punk to a contract back in 2014, and trained for his first MMA fight at Roufusport MMA Academy under Duke Roufus. Injuries postponed Punk’s debut all the way to September 2016, and the BJJ blue belt was scarcely competitive against the upstart Gall. Punk did receive a base purse of $500,000, and presumably PPV points for a card that did an estimated 450,000 buys," a report published on the website says.

There were some reports of Punk potentially returning to the wrestling ring. Last year, The Sun reported British wrestling company "5 Star Wrestling" offering Punk a lucrative deal of US$1 million (AU$1.35 million). However, Punk reportedly turned it down with the hopes of another fight in the UFC.

CM Punk is trying to emulate Brock Lesnar in his effort to crossover from sports entertainment to mixed martial arts. However, several analysts believe the former WWE star lacks the athletic prowess and amateur background to ever be successful in combat sports. On Sept. 10, 2016, Punk faced Gall and spent most of the fight getting clobbered on the mat before being choked out at the 2:14 mark of the first round. Stay tuned for the latest buzz on CM Punk's next fight.

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