Former WWE star and now UFC fighter CM Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, joined the UFC on Dec. 6, 2014, but has yet to make his pro-MMA debut. At the time of his signing, it was expected that he would fight in 2015, but that never happened. Now, at the end of 2015, there are some who are skeptical that he will even fight.
A pro wrestler transitioning into MMA is no easy task, and he knew that he would have to take some time to learn the sport, which is easier said than done.
Current light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and former title challenger Kenny Florian commented on Punk during a recent episode of “UFC Tonight.”
“As time is passing, it starts to lose some of the intrigue,” Cormier said. “I think the iron was hot when he first walked out on the WWE, and that’s when he would have made the biggest impression on the MMA community because WWE fans would have followed him to MMA.”
“This is what really concerns me because they said he was going to fight in 2015,” Florian said. “That he needs some time to train. Well, that hasn’t happened. I know he has dealt with some other injuries and things like that. But the fact that they say that he’s not ready concerns me. It shows that, listen, you don’t just jump into this sport and say you’re going to compete. It takes time, and there’s a process. There’s a reason why they’re telling him to take his time. I think his training isn’t coming along as fast as they thought, and it’s unfortunate.”
Check out the clip here:
UFC President Dana White revealed in his interview with Michael Landsberg on “Off The Record” a few week’s ago that he is currently looking for an opponent for Punk from a show they’re producing right now.
“I just started a new show, the pilot is on YouTube, it’s called Dana White: Looking for a Fight, and I’m actually out looking for opponents for CM Punk right now.”
Punk is expected to fight sometime in 2016 against an unknown opponent.
Some agree that Punk joining the UFC will bring eyeballs from the pro wrestling audience to the mixed martial arts scene, but some also disagree with the move as they feel it hurts the sport of MMA.
What do you think about Punk joining the UFC? Let us know.
