Dana White speaks on potential 2018 UFC swansong for WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar

Dana White claims he would "not be shocked" if Brock Lesnar decided to launch one final foray into the world of UFC and did not rule out the possibility of the WWE Universal Champion fighting in the Octagon in 2018.

The 40-year-old dual-sport athlete last crossed into mixed martial arts for the ninth time in July 2016, when he beat heavyweight Mark Hunt via a unanimous decision during the co-main event of UFC 200 in Las Vegas.

That result was later overturned to a no contest as the result of Lesnar's failed drug tests, which incurred him a $250,000 fine and a one-year ban from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NASC) that expired in July 2017. He protested his innocence.

The American, who began his MMA career in Japan and fought seven times in the UFC between 2008-11 before calling it quits after a loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141, returned to WWE that summer and reportedly retired from the sport for the second time last February, though White clearly believes it is possible that he could be tempted into one final run.

"Anything is possible," he told UFC Tonight crew Kenny Florian and Michael Bisping on Fox Sports. "Brock has always shown interest in coming over and fighting here in the UFC. I wouldn't be shocked if he gave it one more shot."

Another wrestling favourite, CM Punk, also attempted to move into the UFC after his exit from WWE but injuries have restricted the Chicago native to just one solitary bout to date - a first-round submission loss to Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September 2016.

It has been reported this week that the UFC were discussing booking a fight between Punk and fellow 0-1 fighter Mike "The Truth" Jackson for UFC 225 in his hometown in June, but White insists that nothing is set in stone.

"I don't know if that's where he will fight, but he is healthy now and he's interested in fighting," he said. "We'll see what happens. There is no deal for CM Punk to fight anywhere, we'll see how that deal plays out."

White also scoffed at recent claims made by Tyron Woodley that there were conversations ongoing over a July meeting between the reigning welterweight champion and Nate Diaz.

"If I had to bet the house on it, that's my next opponent," Woodley stated.

"He's homeless," White joked in response. "He's full of s**t, that fight was never made. You couldn't be more wrong, he couldn't be more full of s**t. It's absolutely not true.

"It's so not true that our lawyer actually hit his manager up and said he needs to stop saying these kind of things because it's absolutely not true. I wouldn't bet a nickel on it, let alone his house."

White added that Woodley vs Rafael dos Anjos was the contest that would happen and reiterated that Diaz had rejected "five or six fights" offered to him by the UFC over recent months.