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What's the story?
CM Punk recently confirmed in a tweet that he will indeed be returning to the Octagon when the UFC stops by in Chicago for UFC 225.
The opponent who is rumoured to face the former WWE Superstar is none other Mike Jackson and the former UFC Welterweight claims he will scramble the longest reigning WWE Champion's brains in his hometown on 9 June 2018 at the United Center.
In case you didn't know...
CM Punk's MMA expedition hasn't turned out to be how the former WWE Champion would have imagined. After being humiliated in his debut fight against Mickey Gall, major doubts were cast on Punk's UFC future while the pro wrestling faithful simultaneously yearned for him to return to WWE.
Punk, though, has decided to have another shot at the brutal sport and will most-likely take on boxer-turned-mixed martial artist Mike Jackson.
Incidentally, Jackson faced Mickey Gall to determine Punk's first opponent in February 2016 and was dispatched off in merely 45 seconds by the man who eventually gave Punk a sound beating at UFC 203 in September 2016. He was released immediately after the loss and currently holds a record of 0-1, similar to the Second City Saint.
With the hype around Punk's comeback gathering steam yet again, Jackson has wasted no time in promoting the potential bout in typical pro wrestling style.
The heart of the matter
While on USAToday's MMAJunkie Radio, Jackson revealed that UFC Matchmakers conveyed positive signals regarding the fight coming to fruition.
Jackson claimed that he felt offended when Punk called him a can and wants to shut his mouth up with his striking ability.
The smart businessman in Jackson came to the fore during the chat when he said highlighted the pros of letting a washed-up 40-year-old Punk return to the Octagon despite suffering a crushing loss in his first outing.
“It’s styles, it’s personalities, it’s somebody who’s gonna sell the fight. Let’s make money, Dana", Jackson said.
Jackson, who moonlights as an MMA journalist when he's not throwing hands, was brutally honest in dissecting Punk's game and reasoned as to why the Cult of Personality doesn't stand a chance against him.
He pointed out that Punk was never a great athlete such as Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and can only be termed as just another tough guy. Considering the damage Punk's body as taken as a result of a gruelling pro wrestling career, Jackson suspected Punk's ability to grasp striking as well as Jiu-jitsu.in a span of two years and focused on the fact that picking up striking can be a tougher task than learning the complexities of grappling.
A confident Jackson went on to proclaim: "MMA training is going to be different than professional wrestling training. Not to say they don’t correlate with one another, but it’s different. I just don’t see him picking up the skills needed to defeat me come June 9 at UFC 225."
What's next?
The trash talking between the two winless fighters all but confirms the big money fight possibly slated for UFC 225. Despite the obvious difference in real combat experience, Punk does stand a chance of beating a 32-year-old former boxer in Jackson.
Author's take
The promotion of CM Punk's debut fight left a lot to be desired and UFC needs to ensure they unleash the Cult of Personality in all his glory this time around.
As Jackson himself said it, it's all about the personalities and he certainly is the perfect fit to go up against the master of the pipe bomb.
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