Nearly 14 months have passed since UFC president Dana White’s controversial signing of former WWE champion CM Punk. Several more are now anticipated to fly by following Punk’s announcement that he was undergoing surgery to repair an ailing back.
This wouldn’t be his first injury setback.
Punk, whose birth name is Phil Brooks, recently found out the man who would be standing opposite him in the Octagon for his promotional debut, before revealing just what he told the 2-0 New Jersey native Mickey Gall after the latter’s first-round victory over Mike Jackson at UFC Fight Night 82.
Matt Brown, who’s a member of the welterweight hierarchy that Punk will attempt to make a climb towards, now doubts that the Chicago native has the cojones to step into the Octagon.
From his conversation on FOX Sports’ Great MMA Debate podcast (via MMA Fighting):
“This guy, he ain’t no fighter. People don’t understand what it’s like sitting in that locker room for two to three hours knowing a guy down the hall is going to try to fucking murder you. That feeling in indescribable. The nerves, people call it fear. That feeling is not to be envied. Personally, I do envy it but that’s what separates a fighter from everyone else. Conquering that fear takes something different than I think most people have and I question whether CM Punk has that or not.”
Punk is no stranger to this kind of criticism. In fact, the 37-year-old may or may not have made a mistake in acknowledging — and responding to — said critics back in October.
Regardless, the Roufusport-trained Punk will still be marching toward the Octagon at his own peril sometime in 2016 and Gall doesn’t seem to mind the wait.
Anyone ready to wager some cash on Punk?