5 realistic opponents for CM Punk’s 2nd UFC fight

A few weeks ago UFC president Dana White confirmed that he’d be giving CM Punk another shot in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is something that may surprise some fans. The Straight Edge Superstar infamously lost his first ever pro-MMA fight back at UFC 203, being defeated by rising star Mickey Gall.

Now, however, Punk has been given a second chance as he prepares to step foot inside the octagon for the first time since late 2016. Nobody really knows who his opponent is going to end up being, but what we do know is that we’ll probably see a much better version of Phil Brooks than we did last time around.

Every mixed martial artist in the world will want a piece of Punk after seeing how much it’s helped Gall, and because of that, we’ve decided to narrow the field down by giving our thoughts on who we believe should take on the multi-time WWE champion.

With that being said, here are five realistic opponents for CM Punk’s 2nd UFC fight.

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#5 Aaron Chalmers

Can Chalmers continue his success?

When it comes to polarising figures in MMA, Aaron Chalmers and CM Punk may well just make up the top two. Both men have come over to the sport from completely different worlds, both men divide opinion when it comes to the legitimacy of their skills, and both are able to draw substantial crowds due to their large followings.

The one difference, however, is that Chalmers actually has a few wins on his resume with a 3-0 record. Of course, those wins came against lower ranked opposition, but at the same time, you can only beat what is put in front of you. The Geordie Shore star is a big enough name to warrant this kind of opportunity, and it’d be interesting to see exactly what Punk can do against a balls to the wall striker.

#4 Mike Jackson

Jackson's lack of experience could favour Punk

The name Mike Jackson may ring a bell, and that’s because he’s the man that Mickey Gall defeated in order to get a shot at facing CM Punk. Jackson has only had one professional fight to this day which was the showdown with Mickey, which leaves him in a similar position to Punk with an uninspiring 0-1 record.

This could be Punk’s best shot at picking up a victory, and while it’s not exactly a UFC calibre bout, you have to make exceptions sometimes when you consider just how much of a household name Punk is. Jackson would probably jump at the chance to get this sort of payday, and who knows, maybe it’ll even revitalise his career.

#3 Galore Bofando

Bofando is an interesting competitor

For those of you who don’t remember, Galore Bofando is the man mountain who dismantled Charlie Ward back at UFC Glasgow in the summer. He won the fight courtesy of an insane throw which saw Ward land directly on his neck, and while that may signal that fighting Punk is a bad idea for the master of the GTS, we’ve got our reasons for wanting to see it.

Not only is Galore moving towards the back end of his career, but he’s also 5-3 with two of his defeats coming via disqualification. He’s clearly a bit rough around the edges and as we saw in his fight against Chad Laprise, he has a tendency to punch himself out.

As long as Punk can avoid the big shots early on then he has a chance at causing quite the upset, and let’s face it, this would be one hell of a spectacle.

#2 Phil Baroni

Baroni is quite the character

We can tell you from experience that Phil Baroni is one of the most difficult people you could ever have the misfortune of dealing with. He’s loud, he’s arrogant, and for some reason, he continues to think that he’s the best thing since sliced bread. Oh, and did we mention that he’s recently begun pursuing a career in professional wrestling?

Baroni is a seasoned veteran but his best days are behind him, and he could be the perfect heel for Punk to slay on his way to winning inside the octagon for the first time. There would certainly need to be some compromises on both sides given Phil’s relationship with the UFC, but this is a move that could be extremely beneficial for all parties involved.

#1 Charlie Ward

Ward's McGregor association could be a big factor

The aforementioned Irishman Charlie Ward is the last entrant on this list, and while he may have lost his final UFC bout against Bofando in Glasgow, he still possesses a 4-3 pro record. Ward is coming off the back of a win in his debut Bellator bout back in November, and it’s time to strike while the iron is hot.

Another important factor is his relationship with Conor McGregor, which would almost certainly draw even more eyes to the fight than usual. Punk may not want to take a risk like this given Ward’s punching power, but a win would definitely make him feel even more validated in the MMA community.