UFC fans will be forced to wait a little longer to see former WWE star CM Punk in the Octagon.
The welterweight fighter is yet to compete in the UFC since signing for the promotion in 2014 after suffering injury setbacks.
Punk, real name Phil Brooks, revealed to MMAFighting.com that he is set for another spell on the sidelines after he underwent back surgery on a herniated disc in Chicago on Wednesday.
“My back has always bugged me,” Punk told the website. “Figured it was just wrestling s**t. Turns out it was.
“It got bad enough to the point where I couldn’t do anything the week before I went to train with the New Jersey Devils last month.
“One day I could manage, the next day I couldn’t. I’ve been in agony for almost a month. Chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, cryotherapy … nothing worked.”
Punk’s highly-anticipated debut last summer was delayed by a shoulder injury.
He was then due to take on Mickey Gall this summer after the 24-year-old defeated Mike Jackson in the first round of his UFC debut last weekend to earn the right to welcome Punk to the UFC.
However, those plans will now change as the former WWE champion goes in for surgery with his recovery time expected to be four-to-six weeks.
He noted in the interview that he still intends to fight at least once in 2016.
“This is just a bump in the road,” he added. “I’m positive about this.”
