So much has been said about Phil “CM Punk” Brooks’ arrival to the UFC.
Can his pro wrestling athleticism translate to a real fight?
Can he take a punch and keep moving forward?
Can he learn quickly and prove his doubters wrong?
Now, while the first two will ultimately be left for Brooks’ debut sometime within the next year, the latter will be left in the hands of the famous Duke Roufus.
The former kickboxer-turned-world-class trainer will attempt to mold Punk from scratch, surrounding him with champions like Anthony Pettis and Ben Askren in the process.
Widely considered one of the best muay thai instructors in the world, Roufus seems confident that he can succeed with Punk and make Roufusport even more of a prominent camp than it already is.
In a recent interview with MMAJunkie.com’s Ben Fowlkes, Roufus explains his initial plans for one of the most talked-about athletes in the world right now:
We’re friends first, and we wouldn’t be friends if he couldn’t take an honest answer. But I’m not going to be putting him in with my team just yet. I’m going to do what I’ve done with some of my athletes in the past, which is build him from the ground up. His first sparring session will be with me, and I’ve been doing martial arts since I was 4, so I have incredible control. I can score on him but not hurt him. I can teach him, which is the first stage.
While Roufus has the ability to transform Punk into an actual MMA fighter, expectations should be held in check.
Whether it’s his wrestling capability, success off his back, ability to walk through a punch or his unknown knack for finishing, Brooks’ potential remains a mystery.
But like many fighters who have come before him, specifically ones who have come through The Ultimate Fighter reality series only to move on to more prominent camps, Roufus believes that he can find the magic within Punk:
With ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ you see a lot of guys who come on that show, come in really raw, they actually have bad habits, which is worse. Then after the show they move to a new camp, usually somebody they were coached by on the show, and that’s when the magic starts to happen. We’re going to see that same formula here, but without the cameras on him.
Roufus will have at least six hard months to teach an old dog new tricks before the UFC begins its discussions with Punk regarding his first opponent.
But that could be enough time for Roufus to mold his new protege, build him from the ground up and ready him for one of the most anticipated debuts in UFC history, which will likely come against a fighter who can count his wins on one hand.
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