CM Punk leaving door open for UFC return, still in USADA testing pool

Former WWE superstar and UFC welterweight CM Punk is still being tested by USADA, leaving the door open for a potential return to the Octagon.

TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter looked into USADA’s database and noticed that CM Punk, along with Mike Jackson, Travis Browne, and Chris Holdsworth have all recently been drug tested.

Recently tested by USADA: CM Punk, Chris Holdsworth, Travis Browne, Mike Jackson

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 21, 2019

“Recently tested by USADA: CM Punk, Chris Holdsworth, Travis Browne, Mike Jackson”

CM Punk had two fights in the UFC. In his Octagon debut, he was submitted by Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September 2016. He then took a break only to return against Mike Jackson at UFC 225 in June 2018, losing a unanimous decision. He is now 40-years-old, but he remains a big name and a potential pay-per-view draw for the UFC.

Speaking of Jackson, he’s also still getting tested by USADA. Like CM Punk, Jackson has also only fought twice in the UFC. He lost by submission to Gall at UFC Fight Night 82 in February 2016 before he fought CM Punk two years later, winning that fight.

Also still in the testing pool is Travis Browne, the boyfriend of former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Browne fought in the Octagon between 2010 and 2017, going 9-7-1 overall in that time period. He is currently on a four-fight losing skid and hasn’t fought since a submission loss to Aleksei Oleinek at UFC 213 in July 2017.

And finally, there’s Chris Holdsworth, a coach at Team Alpha Male. Holdsworth won The Ultimate Fighter 18 in November 2013 with a submission win over Davey Grant but fought only one other time after that, beating Chico Camus by decision at UFC 173 in May 2014. That was the night TJ Dillashaw first beat Renan Barao for the UFC bantamweight title. Holdsworth suffered a concussion in training and hasn’t fought in over five years since.

Would you be interested in seeing CM Punk fight in the UFC again?