Former WWE champion and newly contracted UFC fighter CM Punk was interviewed on ESPN’s MMA Live Extra Wednesday and talked about Brock Lesnar, the transition from WWE to mixed martial arts and more.
Punk has been stealing headlines recently, first with his controversial interview on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast and then with his blockbuster announcement that he will be joining the UFC as a competitor.
While Punk has no traditional fighting background, he has spent the majority of his career as a professional wrestler. Some MMA fighters and fans do not appreciate the hard work that goes into the sport of professional wrestling, but Punk is adamant during the interview about his drive to prove people wrong.
When asked about Brock Lesnar, Punk said that the two men are very similar. Lesnar may have had a better background coming into MMA as a former NCAA wrestling champion, but they both faced resistance to the idea of coming to the UFC, and Punk will now have to prove himself to everyone the same way Lesnar did.
Pro wrestling veteran Lance Storm commented on Punk’s transition to MMA:
The transition to the UFC will not be as jarring for Punk as it is for many novice fighters. The experience of walking out in front of tens of thousands of fans is something he dealt with all the time in WWE, so he will have some experience.
Punk spoke with MMA Live Extra about the pressure he will face heading to the Octagon and how being a retired pro wrestler could ease his nerves:
I think the pressure will be monumental, but it’s nothing I haven’t experienced before. Being in front of that many people. There is something they call, “Octagon Shock”, and you get in there and look around like, ‘I’m really here. I got these gloves on. I’m really about to get punched in the face.’ I think those jitters will be there, but they will be substantially less than somebody who’s never performed in front of almost 90,000 people at one time. I’ll be able to handle and manage the crowd better than most people making their UFC debut.
There is no doubt that Punk oozes confidence, but he openly admitted that it will take time to get into the proper shape to fight. He was noncommittal on a training team and where he will prepare, but he did say he was willing to relocate for the right opportunity.
Punk needs great trainers and he needs them to teach him like he is just another fighter; no special treatment. In the interview, Punk discussed a possible timetable for a debut that would have him fight for the first time in late 2015, somewhere between the fall and the end of the year.
With no previous experience in MMA, sans sporadic classes with jiu-jitsu coach Rener Gracie, Punk will need all the time he can get to prepare for a tough matchup, regardless of who he eventually squares off against.
Any fighter who makes it to the UFC likely has years of experience in one form of martial arts or another, and that will put Punk at an instant disadvantage. There is no denying the physical ability Punk displayed during his WWE career, but the Octagon is a whole different ball game.
Punk is smart to not get too far ahead of himself. The fact that he is taking this all very serious and truly entering UFC with a rookie mentality could help him train harder and possibly even win his first few fights.
Eventually, though, his lack of experience and long-term training will come back to hurt him.
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