CM Punk lived his dream this previous Saturday night time when he lastly acquired the chance to headline WrestleMania 41 nevertheless it wasn’t that way back when the WWE celebrity was dwelling out one other fantasy when he signed with the UFC.
His transient stint within the UFC truly got here after Punk had a really public falling out when he left WWE and determined to strive his hand at combined martial arts as a substitute. The signing was met with an entire lot of backlash and the outcomes didn’t go significantly better with Punk finally shedding each of his fights within the UFC together with his debut towards Mickey Gall, which barely made it to the 2 minute mark of the opening spherical.
Lately, Punk appears to have fallen again in love with skilled wrestling once more however UFC legend Matt Brown nonetheless marvels that the promotion truly gave him a shot based mostly solely on his fandom reasonably than any precise confirmed expertise.
“The factor with the Punk factor, it wasn’t a lot Punk,” Brown defined on the newest episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “Lots of people dream about combating within the UFC. Simply the truth that the UFC let it occur, it’s like what are you guys doing? That is pointless. It’s not the PR transfer they thought it was, at the least for my part. Perhaps I’m mistaken. It did extra for Mickey Gall than anyone else. I really like Mickey. I’m good mates with Mickey so good for him. However I don’t suppose it did shit for the UFC.
“You’re not alleged to get in there due to your fame or your recognition. You’re alleged to be the baddest f*cking dude. As actual because it will get, proper?”
Gall truly needed to earn the combat towards Punk when he acquired his personal shot within the UFC after defeating Mike Jackson in equally dominant style.
Whereas he was a relative unknown on the time, Gall was an skilled martial artist with a deep background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He was solely 2-0 when he acquired booked for the combat towards Punk, which occurred at UFC 203 in Cleveland again in 2016.
Brown recounts a dialog he truly had with Gall about that combat as a result of although neither of them had a lot expertise heading into that matchup, Punk was finally knowledgeable wrestler who was an MMA fan and fanatic.
“The factor that sucked, too, I talked with Mickey about it later. Like bro, you should have been nervous as f*ck for that combat as a result of you’ll be able to’t lose to CM Punk,” Brown mentioned. “Plus he was 1-0. It was his second combat within the UFC. Like strolling out within the UFC in your second combat. Are you able to think about that? That’s so f*cking a lot stress.
“All of the media, the eye, the hype and also you’re combating this dude that f*cking sucks. You’re the laughing inventory should you get beat by this man.”
It labored out effectively for Gall, who dispatched Punk through submission within the first spherical and eight years later, he’s nonetheless competing within the UFC.
As for Punk, he by no means regretted that he took his shot at combating within the UFC even when the outcomes didn’t go his approach. In his second combat, Punk was dominated over three rounds by Mike Jackson however the consequence was ultimately overturned to a no-contest following Jackson testing optimistic for marijuana.
Since Punk’s two appearances within the UFC, Dana White has successfully shot down another weekend warriors getting a shot at competing within the octagon irrespective of how a lot they could love the game.
WWE celebrity and part-time boxer Logan Paul even revealed that he truly reached out to White about doubtlessly competing within the UFC for a single combat however by no means even acquired a response. He believed that Punk possible “f*cked it up” for anyone else from skilled wrestling who tried to observe an analogous path to get into the UFC.
The truth that it occurred in any respect nonetheless shocks Brown however he believes Punk’s misfortune most likely satisfied the UFC that it was by no means a good suggestion within the first place.
“[The UFC] tried it as soon as and realized their lesson,” Brown mentioned. “They shouldn’t have achieved it as soon as actually. However no matter. They did it. It’s over with.
“Like I mentioned, Mickey acquired the most effective finish of that stick. The deal labored out nice for him. I’m undecided how effectively it labored out for anybody else. Positively not CM Punk.”
