CM Punk announces he is leaving pro wrestling, signs with UFC

CM Punk (real name: Chick Magnet Punk)* won the WWE’s triple crown (World Tag Team Champion, Intercontinental Champion, and world champion) faster than any pro wrestler ever. He left the company in January, and was fired in June, on his wedding day.

Punk is also a long-time student of at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, CA, and a major fan of mixed martial arts. He spoke with Joe Rogan between fights at UFC 181, and made an often-rumored announcement – he was quitting professional wrestling and becoming a mixed martial arts fighter.

“I don’t think I would be able to live with myself if I didn’t try it,” said Punk.

“I felt like it was now or never… It is now or never. I’m here to get my ass kicked or kick someone’s ass… This is my new career.”

Punk, who is currently around 200, also discussed what division he hopes to fight in.

“Most likely middleweight,” he said. “I am going to try a practice weight cut… The option for welterweight might be there. But definitely not light heavyweight.”

There are obvious questions about Punk’s suitability. While Brock Lesnar came into the UFC with just one fight, he is a former NCAA Div I national champion wrestler. Punk has never competed in a combat sport.

I have a background in kempo,” Punk said, adding “and I’ve been doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for a long time.”

Punk said he had visited several camps, but not necessarily with full knowledge by the camps as to what was going on, and declined to say where he would be training for his debut.

He has signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC, and will reportedly debut inside the Octagon in 2015.

An 0-0 fighter has not appeared in the UFC since the 1990s, but Punk, 36, is going to change that. In an interview on The Jim Rome Show on Friday, UFC president Dana White said he would be having a discussion with Punk; apparently it went well. White indicated that should Punk be signed, he would be treated like any other new fighter, in the sense that he would be matched with someone of similar experience.

CM Punk, we would bring him in just like any regular fighter, and he would fight a guy with a similar record to his, which is 0-0,” said White.

White expanded on the remarks in Saturday in an interview on Fox Sports 1′s UFC 181 post-fight show.

“He comes to all the fights, he’s a huge fan,” explained White, as transcribed by 5thRound. “Once his deal was up with the WWE, he called me and he said ‘I would really like to fight in the UFC.’ I told him ‘you’ve got no fights.’ But he wants to try it and obviously the guy is a huge superstar. I’ll give him the shot.

I’d say I agree with everyone one of those things you people just said. Yeah, of course, I’m absolutely skeptical. Who knows? You don’t know unless you try. You don’t know if the guy can fight unless he fights. He wants to fight here. He’s like ‘I’m at an age where I don’t have time to go work on my game and work my way up to the UFC. I’d like to start here, I’d like to give it a shot if you would give me that opportunity.’ I said ‘yes, I will.’ I don’t know.”

“He wanted to fight here. He wanted to give it a shot so we gave him an opportunity. It’s not like Brock Lesnar. We’re not going to throw the kitchen sink at him. Lesnar had a wrestling background. He’s going to fight a guy who is 1-0, 1-1, 2-1 — something like that.”

White was uncertain when Punk’s debut would be.

“What did he say? I think what he wants to do is take his time, start training, get with the right camp,” said White. “It could be six or seven months.”

—

*Please note, Punk’s real name isn’t Chick Magnet Punk, that was a joke; his real name is Phil Punk.**

**This isn’t true either. His name is Phil Brooks.