To say that CM Punk’s stint in the octagon divides opinion, would be a huge understatement. In the eyes of the MMA community, he’s already lost by unanimous decision due to his previous endeavours.
But why? This is a man who at thirty-five-years-old decided to turn his back on an incredibly lucrative career, in which he was considered to be one of the greatest to ever do it… to become a complete novice in mixed martial arts.
For a man that was paid in the region of $3 million per year in the WWE, settled down with his wife (and his dog), what did Punk have to gain? The answer is absolutely nothing, except for the fact he wanted to try his hand at the sport.
He trains with one of the greatest teams in the sport at Roufusport MMA Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The gym plays home to welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and his younger brother Sergio Pettis.
The UFC released a documentary titled ‘The Evolution of Punk’ ahead of his octagon debut against Mickey Gall. The four-part documentary shown the Chicago man working alongside his head coach Duke Roufus literally learning from the start, including how to throw a punch.
Mickey Gall had won all three of his amateur bouts, and the first two of his professional outings before fighting CM Punk. Gall, despite being vastly younger showed the gulf in ability between the two, submitting Punk in just over two minutes. He then went on to defeat Sage Northcutt, before tasting defeat for the first time at UFC 217.
It was too much, too soon for CM Punk. After losing in September 2016, he will return to the octagon in his home city of Chicago this weekend at UFC 225. Punk will face fellow 0-1 mixed martial artist Mike Jackson, who also lost to Mickey Gall in February 2016.
It’s hard to gauge how much both men have improved over this time, with the only evidence being praise from training partners. If CM Punk tastes victory at UFC 225, will we see him continue his octagon career?
Unpopular opinion… but I genuinely respect CM Punk for leaving a sense of comfort to test himself in the toughest of conditions, without real gain. The arguments made regarding his fight pay would not matter if Punk was in the UFC or not. The athletes would continue to receive the basic $10k to show, $10k to win regardless of his involvement in the promotion.
UK fans will be familiar with the Aaron Chalmers story. A reality TV star who transitioned into mixed martial arts and now holds a 4-0 record in the sport and is signed to the second biggest organisation in the world in Bellator.
The difference in the two, is that BAMMA and Bellator matched Chalmers up with those who should be of equal ability, or slightly less. Punk’s fight with Jackson appears to be the right fight to make, as Mickey Gall was a serious mismatch.
If he tastes defeat again in his sophomore octagon showing, his time in the UFC will be over. If Punk still decides to compete in the sport, the likes of Bellator would be quick to snap him up, as he remains a needle mover!
Will Punk earn an emotional victory in Chicago this Saturday? We’ll soon find out!
