It looks like former WWE pro-wrestler Phil ‘CM Punk’ Brooks has still a long way to go before convincing people he has his place in the UFC roster.
The UFC announced on December of 2014 that they had signed former WWE pro-wrestler CM Punk and that he was expected to make his Octagon debut in 2015.
CM Punk got injured meanwhile and as of now he still has not made his UFC debut.
CM Punk’s signing sparked a lot of mixed reactions from fans, media, and UFC fighters. Some argued that it was great for the sport in that CM Punk is very popular, thus a major draw. Others would go on to question the legitimacy of CM Punk as a mixed martial artist.
Nate Diaz, the man who shocked the world last Saturday by choking out UFC superstar Conor McGregor, also weighed in on CM Punk’s signing shortly after it was announced he was going to join the UFC roster.
Asked about what he thought of CM Punk making the jump to the UFC Nate Diaz responded that it was horrible for the sport and saying F*ck CM Punk, f*ck the whole situation. A bit harsh, but Diaz’s opinion is actually relevant. Though many people were quick to mock Diaz’s claim because of CM Punk’s major drawing potential, it cannot be denied he has a point.
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CM Punk IS a big draw for the UFC, no doubt. But to think of him as just a draw is a short-sighted perspective that only considers the short-term effects of his signing. As Nate Diaz states later in the interview above, CM Punk remains an amateur, despite whatever kind of training he went through. The UFC is exclusively filled with fighters who have trained in MMA for 5, 10, or 15 years. It is doubtful that a few months of training would propel CM Punk to the skill level other UFC fighters possess.
Diaz, a polarizing figure of the sport and long-time UFC fighter, never shies away from telling things like they are. His concerns about CM Punk making the UFC look like an amateur league have real grounds. He later states that CM Punk is making a joke out of his serious dedication to the sport.
CM Punk is already a very polarizing figure despite not having even fought yet, and it will be quite a feat if he ever actually manages to prove people he is a legitimate mixed martial artist.
