There is no word on when CM Punk/Phil Brooks will officially make his UFC debut though there were speculations that it could happen by the latter part of the year. At least that was the initial belief.
To compete in the UFC level, Punk would need to orient himself with the changes, not to mention train profusely to make sure that he can survive in the Octagon against any opponent he may possibly be facing. With that said, don’t be surprised if the his much anticipated debut takes longer than expected to happen.
Apparently Punk is still in deep training at Roufusport in Milwaukee as he tries to transition from being a WWE wrestler into a UFC fighter.
It will be recalled that Punk left the WWE scene back in 2014 where the former WWE heavyweight champion cited health reasons as the cause of his departure. Punk bared that the WWE had forced him to wrestle even if he was not yet 100%. Punk was officially given his termination papers on June, 2014, the same time he and AJ Lee tied the knot.
As far as his UFC career is concerned, Punk is in no hurry because he wants to make sure that he is fit to compete in a totally new environment. It is not about a one-night deal but more of a new career path despite the fact that Punk is already 37 years old.
"I'm also looking at the big picture. This isn't a one and done thing for me. I'm not looking to do this just once. Win, lose or draw, this is something I'm training for. I feel like it'd be a super waste of time if I was just training for one fight rather than making a career out of this. Getting beaten up at the gym every day wouldn't be worth it if I wasn't looking big picture," he said in an article from Fox Sports.
Indeed, Punk has to digest and accustom himself with the UFC culture and such would normally take plenty of time.
Punk plans to do more than one fight in the UFC scene, though not necessarily meaning that he is looking to win a title. Rather, it is more of making the most of his training and transition which could be more or less a waste of time if he is to compete just once.
And while Punk remains cool on the idea of delaying his debut, his followers are growing impatient. But then again, it will be he and trainer Duke Roufus who will know when the time is right.
Both Punk and Roufus know that the former is still far from being ready to enter the field of UFC battle. Punk does pride himself as a mixed martial arts fighter but the fact remains that this alone may not be enough for him to survive against seasoned UFC stars.
Punk is now 10 pounds lighter compared to his WWE weight of 200 lbs. He plans to compete in the UFC Welterweight Division, something which will hopefully materialize in 2016.
Check out the video below as Punk explains his transition from the WWE to the UFC.