Gall: I want to bang with CM Punk
“I think when he gets in there and he has me coming at him looking to kill him, I don’t think he’ll be able to handle it. He’s a professional wrestler…”
UFC president Dana Dana has a new reality series called Looking for a Fight, in which he scouts regional shows for national talent. He was also specifically looking for a beginning or debuting pro for the greenest man in the UFC since Joe Son. CM Punk is a former WWE champion, but has no background in any combat sport.
However, Punk has been training seriously for now many months with Duke Roufus. The coach has deep integrity, and says he will not let the rassler fight until he is ready. Punk is expected to be ready in 2016, and will fight on the main card of a PPV.
White has expressed interest in matching Punk with New Jersey native Mickey Gall. If so, Punk will have his hands full. Gall is a brown belt in BJJ under David Adiv, and is 2-0 as an amateur, and won his pro debut vs. Ron Templeton at Dead Serious MMA 17, via first-round submission. Gall trains at Miller Brothers MMA, Gracie New Jersey Jiu-Jitsu Academy, and American Top Team Allentown. He’s a budding badass.
Gall, 23, spoke with Hunter A. Homistek for MMAFighting.com, and says striking, not submission, will be the mission.
“Honestly, man, I think that guy’s used to going into a ring and whispering to his guy, ‘Hey, let’s do a clothesline. Hey, let’s practice jumping off the ropes and this and that.’ I think when he gets in there and he has me coming at him looking to kill him, I don’t think he’ll be able to handle it. He’s a professional wrestler, and he’s great at that. He’s made himself a millionaire doing that. But now he’s stepping into a different world, and I think he’d be in a lot of trouble.”
“To be honest, I just think if I hit that dude in his face hard, I don’t think he’s going to react well with that. I like to punch people in the face real hard. Sometimes I use my jiu-jitsu because that’s just where it happens to go, but I think I hit that dude, and he’s not going to like it. I really see myself banging with him a little bit.”
“From the get-go, I started jiu-jitsu with the intention of being an MMA fighter. Always in the back of my mind was, ‘Alright, how would this work in a fight?’ You see a lot of jiu-jitsu guys with the guard pulling and different stuff, but I always practiced striking and all that stuff as well for fighting. I always tried to think of the ultimate goal of fighting inside the cage.
“I trained at AMA Fight Club, and I would take the Muay Thai classes all the time. I’d do drills. I’d work with my friends, like my buddy Rich (Patishnock), and I’d kind of bounce around coaches.”
“I haven’t heard from Dana White. I’m hoping. I’m around. I think they’re still trying to figure things out. Now I’m starting to get the buzz, and people are sending me these articles. My phone’s been blowing up with websites posting how I’m probably going to be his opponent. I only hope. I hope, man.
“I do [feel I’m ready for UFC competition]. I train with some of the best guys in the world. Just recently, I had the opportunity to go down to American Top Team and train. I do well, man. I can handle myself with anybody. I train with Jim and Dan all the time, and you’ve seen what they’ve done in the UFC. I hold my own. I do well. I know on any given day, I can beat anyone.”
Looking for a Fight will be released on YouTube Jan. 11.