What’s the story?
Former WWE Champion CM Punk made the jump over to the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and got absolutely destroyed by his opponent Mickey Gall in their Welterweight bout.
In an interview on Live Audio Wrestling with John Pollock, Former UFC fighter and indie pro wrestler Matt Riddle recently commented on Punk’s fighting future inside the UFC’s Octagon and stated that if Punk really does want to continue his MMA career it shouldn’t be in the UFC.
In case you didn’t know...
Punk’s first ever MMA fight not only took place inside the UFC against elite competition, but it took place on the main card on pay-per-view (PPV). While his debut was certainly PPV-worthy it was taken as a bit of a slight to some guys who have been competing for years and still have yet to find their way onto a PPV main card.
The heart of the matter
Here’s what Riddle had to say about why Punk should not fight in the UFC again after his first performance (quotes courtesy of Wrestling Inc.):
"If he really wants to be a mixed martial artist, yes – It's not like another promoter wouldn't book him, I guarantee if he goes ‘UFC, you have to pay me whatever or release me so I can go fight’, I'm pretty sure the UFC would release him."
What’s next?
Punk has openly expressed that he is dedicated to fighting and has his eyes set on fighting in the UFC in his next bout.
Sportskeeda’s take
While he is one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time, Punk is light years behind the competition he will be facing inside of the UFC’s Octagon. If he does truly want to continue his MMA career, he should heed Riddle’s advice and test the water in smaller promotions first.
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