CM Punk on UFC debut: 'In another 6 months, I should be ready to go'

The timeline for former WWE champion Phil "CM Punk" Brooks's UFC debut is becoming more clear. Also becoming clear: who he will not be fighting.

Punk spoke with SB Nation recently about his ongoing MMA training, which he began in earnest at Roufusport in January. Things seem to be coming along swimmingly, with the 36-year-old sounding optimistic about his tentative schedule:

"You know, as long as I'm getting better one percent every day, I'm happy. And I feel it's never less than that, so I think I'm doing good. My trainers, I don't think they're blowing smoke up my ass, they tell me when I do stuff bad, and we work on (it). In another six months, I should be ready to go, but (laughs) ... don't take it from me! It's out of my hands. It's up to my trainers."

It was expected that Punk would need as long as a year to prepare for his debut, which is hardly a surprise considering his low level of formal fighting experience. Penciling his debut for six months from now could mean a November showing or, more likely, a spot on the UFC's annual card around the turn of the calendar, one of their biggest events of the year.

Who Punk will fight has been a matter of much speculation, with Cathal Pendred and Matt Brown emerging as possibilities, and middleweight being Punk's most likely weight class.

Fight fans can pretty safely cross former green Power Ranger Jason David Frank off the list. Frank has been outspoken about his desire to fight Punk, but Punk doesn't seem to have much time for his "stalker."

"Eh, skip it. Next question," Punk said when asked what it would take to make that fight happen.

The next question may very well be when fans can expect Punk in the octagon. Whatever the date, it's coming soon.