Retired US-based Filipino fighter Mark Muñoz acknowledged the competition bug bites him from time to time.

It's been 5 years since he last fought inside the cage, but he believes he still has a lot left in his tank.

"I mean, I’m training with guys now so [UFC veteran Ovince Saint Preux] came in and we trained and I went with him and I was like, 'Wow, I could really still do this',” Muñoz said.

“I was holding my own against him, I was taking him down, controlling him and he was having trouble controlling me. It was a lot of fun.”

Muñoz was among UFC's top contenders in the stacked middleweight division. He retired at 37 years old in 2015 after beating Luke Barnatt in the promotion’s inaugural card in Manila.

“We could definitely get back inside the octagon. I mean I’m a competitor, I love competing. I love it and it’s still gonna be inside of me so when people come to the gym and just I’m ready to go. Right now, I’m still coaching,” Muñoz said.

Coming out of retirement is nothing new in the UFC. Superstars such as Georges St-Pierre and Chuck Liddell did it.

What's holding Muñoz back, though, are his engagements in the US.

In fact, Muñoz said he was invited by close friend Brandon Vera to come back to the Philippines.

“He is doing so well in the Philippines. He wants me to come back. He was like, ‘Mark, pagbalik mo dito . . .’ He was like, ‘Come train with me, I’d take care of everything’,” said Muñoz.

“But, oh man, I got like four businesses going here now, it’s hard for me to leave."

(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website).