CM Punk To Fight At UFC 202

[Jack-Hammer]

After roughly 2.5 years since leaving WWE and pro wrestling itself behind, it looks like CM Punk is finally set for his debut MMA fight against Mickey Gall at UFC 202 on August 20. Or, I should say, that's what's being reported right now.

To be perfectly honest, my interest in seeing Punk fight has lessened over time as one delay after another, various reports that his training hasn't been going well and the fact that he's facing a 2-0 rookie.

Based on what I've heard over time, it looks like more people wanna see Punk get his ass handed to him rather than to see him win as opinion regarding Punk has changed to a more negative stance as time's gone by. A lot of MMA fans and MMA fighters were, and still are, angry that Punk was signed by UFC despite having zero MMA experience or fights. From a business perspective, I get the reason why but I can also understand why fans and fighters feel put out due to seeing Punk get this sort of preferential treatment.

I don't have high hopes for Punk's chances, though that's based more on instinct and guesswork than anything else. Though, now that I think about it, what else could the opinion be based on given that the man's a 37 year old MMA rookie, who'll be about 2 months shy of his 38th birthday when he fights, that's never been in an MMA fight in his life.

 

[klunderbunker]

The problem I see here is in the "2.5 years since he left WWE" part. At this point does anyone have that high of an interest in this fight? Punk is really in a lose/lose situation here. If he loses, people laugh at him. If he wins, people are likely to say "Oh. Cool." and then move on because Punk isn't going to be a title contender or anything resembling one. I'd be surprised if he ever fights again while saying "I told you I could do it" and then moving on to whatever else he's doing. I'll watch the fight but it's not something I'm going to get excited about.

 

[Navi]

So we're finally going to get to see what Punk can bring into the Octagon. For me though, too much water under the bridge and does anyone really care anymore.

Add to the fact that the Lesnar return and McGregor retiring have pushed this story to the backburner. Again Punk finds himself in the shadow of others. Wonder if he'll suffer a hangnail or stub his toe and that's the last we'll hear of him in UFC.

If he does go through with it and wins great, if he doesn't go through with it or loses, then no skin off anyone's nose. He always has his career writing comic's too keep him busy.

 

[enviousdominous]

*AHEM* Punk mark coming through!

Punk left the pro-wrestling world with me wanting more from him, and that hasn't diminished over time. I honestly love the fact that he's catching flack from such corners of the web as this forum, it'll be that much sweeter if he annihilates Mickey Gall amidst deafening boos from the meat-heads in the crowd.

Punk might lose, and I would find that very disappointing. For the few who have shared insights on this thread, they really won't care either way because -- as they've implied -- that ship has long passed for them. I've never been this determined to broadcast what I'm not really concerned about, so I guess I win the thread debate by default!

 

[Dave]

It's going to be tough for me to care very much about this fight, given how long it has taken to make it happen. But I'm going to try and give it the benefit of the doubt before outright condemning it. Sure, Punk hasn't done anything of note since he left the WWE and it has all been very muted over in the UFC. But I have a feeling that the UFC will market the shit out of Punk and his match at 202. If I'm apathetic now, my hope is that Punk and the UFC will make me care by the time 202 rolls around. Punk has the capabilities to make it happen, so like I said, don't write it off.

I am more than positive that we will all watch this fight, given that we are wrestling you fans and that we have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Personally, I know I'll be watching, for better or for worse. As far as the result goes, I have to think that Punk will come out on top. He's not going in totally unprepared and has more than enough time to have a successful camp. He's got a history in MMA and that will set him in good stead. Gall is a nobody. And although he is 2 and 0, I have a feeling that Punk will be too good for him.

And if not, then at least he did it.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

So much time has passed, so after all the delays and setbacks, it's hard for me to have any real excitement for Punk's big debut. Of course, I'll watch out of curiosity, but it's to the point, where I'm having a hard time believing it'll happen. On top of that, bad timing will hurt any chances of some real buzz for Punk's debut, because it's safe to say Lesnar's UFC return has overshadowed anything related to Punk and MMA.

I remember reading an interview or a Q & A a while back (can't remember which one), where Punk said something along the lines of "my real fans don't tweet negative shit at me" in a response to the backlash he received after the walkout and the podcasts. I don't hold a grudge against Punk, and I won't condemn the guy as a piece of shit for doing what he did. But with all that said, either way you choose to look at it, justified or unjustified hate, maybe Punk has trouble, doesn't want to acknowledge, or accept the fact a lot of people and some of his former fans simply turned on him after he told his side of the story.

The more I think about, maybe Punk competing in MMA is just a bucket list thing for him. Father Time is not on his side, and going by all the reports it sounds like he's pretty banged up, and maybe he's nearing a point where his body is just too broken down, or maybe he's there already.

If he wins, I'm sure it'll be a proud personal achievement for Punk, but you have to believe not striking while the iron was hot will hurt Punk's chances at becoming a box office draw and proving something, if that's what he's hoping for. If he loses, especially in a lopsided fight, you know he'll be ridiculed to no end, and Punk will have to deal more lambasting for a while.

 

[ShinChan]

So Punk is going to debut against Gall at UFC 203 along with Overeem Vs. Miocic being the headliner and Werdum Vs. Browne being the co-headliner.

This has gone too late atleast for Punk. I hope that he doesn't get knocked out aka doesn't lose badly. I was a fan of Punk in wrestling and am surely interested to see how he fares in this different type of fighting.

Whatever be the result, I hope that he doesn't return to wrestling anytime soon.

 

[nwocongo]

Punk's kind of in a no win situation at this point, his debut has been delayed to the point where I don't think many peole care anymore, I know I certainly don't.

I'm sure if he he wins it'll be huge for his pride and bank account, but there will continue to be naysayers claiming, "Dana White made sure his first fight would be a guaranteed W so he could make Punk more of a draw and get his money's worth, fuck him", and if he loses it'll be more of, "He had no business being here and he only got a contract because he was a big name in WWE, I'm glad he got his ass kicked".

Obviously Punk doesn't give a shit what people think either way but at this point there's not really much to be done to change the public's perception of him win or lose, his die hard supporters will continue to mark out for him no matter what and his critics will continue to bash him regardless of the outcome.