CM Punk on taking spot away from UFC regulars like a WWE part-timer

CM Punk and Todd Grisham

At the UFC 182 weigh-ins, CM Punk was interviewed by former WWE announcer Todd Grisham who is currently an employee of ESPN. Grisham recalled their WWE interview segments over the years and Punk joked that this interview is different because they both want to be here. Punk mentioned that he will be sitting cageside for UFC 182 on Saturday night.

Grisham brought up how Punk previously talked about part-time WWE stars like Batista coming back and taking main event spots away and asked if he feels like he’s doing the same in UFC with a 0-0 record. Punk replied:

“The irony of the situation is certainly not lost on me and I accept all the responsibility in the world for that. But there’s also so many differences. UFC employees thousands of fighters. I look at it more as I’m not taking a spot away from somebody, I’m allowing somebody to gain that spot because whoever fights me, they’re going to make a nice chunk of change I like to think. I think that’s a good opportunity for someone else too. There’s a myriad of other differences and if I wasn’t willing to put in the work and actually train and just fight tomorrow, I could see the parallels more.”

Punk also responded to the recent comments from UFC’s Jon Jones where Jones said he hopes Punk gets knocked out. Punk said he has never met Jones personally but has nothing but respect for Jones as a fighter.