Pro wrestling star making debut at UFC 203
One show, one match at a time, CM Punk climbed to the top of pro wrestling, acquiring unimagined fame and fortune along the way.
It wasn’t enough. He needed more, a challenge to satisfy his inner drive. A dream.
“And now,” he said, “here I am.”
On the verge of stepping into the UFC’s octagon, an arena where some say he doesn’t belong.
One of WWE’s biggest stars before leaving the squared circle two years ago, Punk makes his long-awaited debut as an MMA fighter tonight in UFC 203, where he won’t be in the main event but where he’s the top draw and greatest curiosity.
When he takes centre stage a month shy of his 38th birthday, Punk, who was born Phil Brooks, will complete a twoyear journey that began on Jan. 27, 2014, when he informed WWE chairman Vince McMahon he was done with wrestling. That conversation took place in Quicken Loans Arena, where Punk’s first foray in mixed martial arts will be witnessed by more than 20,000 fans and a pay-per-view audience interested in his unique story.
The symmetry is not lost on Punk, who has spent gruelling hours training for his bout with 24-year-old Mickey Gall. Just as he was in his days as a brash, do-whatever-it-takes-to-win wrestler, Punk is certain he’ll come out victorious. “I belong here and my team belongs here,” he said earlier this week. “I’m confident in my preparation. To me, it’s never too late to start something. If you think otherwise, I’m sorry your dreams are so small.”
While former pro wrestler Brock Lesnar successfully transitioned from wrestling to MMA, he didn’t attempt it as deep into his athletic career as Punk, who says the pace of UFC training is more conducive to family life after years on the road performing in arenas around the world.
He has spent the past 12 months in Milwaukee, working with Duke Roufus and others at the Roufusport Martial Arts Academy.
“You have good days, you have bad days. You have frustrating days. You have breakthroughs. You turn corners. You make friends. You are with your team. Your team is your family,” he said. “No matter how frustrating or how bad a day got, it’s still awesome I’m enjoying all of this. You’ve got to be a sick individual to enjoy some of the gnarlier aspects of the training, but this has been amazing.”