‘CM Punk’ eyeing UFC 225 return
Former pro wrestler beaten in 2016 debut
Phil “CM Punk” Brooks has been teasing a return to the octagon for several months.
The former professional wrestling superstar gave the most clear indication yet Monday he intends to compete on the UFC 225 card in Chicago, his hometown.
Brooks, who was submitted in the first round of his professional MMA debut by Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September 2016, was asked on Twitter about when he next planned to cry in the cage.
He put a positive spin on the intended insult.
“June 9, after I win and lock eyes with my beautiful wife, embrace my coaches and shout out my entire team,” Brooks responded.
UFC officials have not confirmed Brooks on the card, though UFC president Dana White has indicated he wouldn’t oppose Brooks getting another chance in the organization.
Speculation on a potential opponent has centered on Mike Jackson, whose only UFC appearance also was a first-round submission loss to Gall.
Brooks, 39, previously has expressed a desire to compete on the pay-per-view event in Chicago. UFC 225 already includes a heavyweight bout between contenders Alistair Overeem and Curtis Blaydes.
A middleweight title bout between Yoel Romero and champion Robert Whittaker is being targeted as a main event, though that fight is not official.
Pennington gets title shot
Top UFC women’s bantamweight contender Raquel Pennington was in negotiations for a championship bout against Amanda Nunes when the biggest opportunity of her life was suddenly in doubt after the UFC 222 postfight news conference earlier this month.
Cris “Cyborg” Justino had just defended her belt with another first-round knockout, prompting White to propose a superfight between champions Justino and Nunes.
The logistics didn’t work out, however, and UFC officials have now confirmed Pennington will challenge Nunes for the belt in the main event of UFC 224 in Rio de Janeiro.
USADA issues sanctions
A pair of UFC fighters were issued six-month suspensions last week for two different violations of the organization’s anti-doping policy.
Women’s strawweight contender Cynthia Calvillo was sanctioned by USADA, the independent administrator of the policy, for a postfight test showing the presence of marijuana metabolites after her loss to Carla Esparza. The penalty is retroactive to Dec. 30, the day of the fight.
Calvillo, 30, can have the length of her suspension cut in half upon completion of a drug awareness program. She still, however, faces a disciplinary hearing on the matter in front of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
Light heavyweight Ion Cutelaba also received a six-month sanction, though his was the result of undergoing experimental ozone therapy treatments. The procedure purports to increase the amount of oxygen in the body through the introduction of ozone. It is banned by USADA and WADA.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@ reviewjournal.com or 702-2778028. Follow @Adamhilllvrj on Twitter.