5 Reasons why CM Punk deserves respect despite not being your 'average MMA' fighter
Phil Brooks, more commonly known by his larger-than-life moniker CM Punk, is someone who is known for following his passions. If he puts his heart and soul into something, he ensures that he goes the distance with it; whether it's pro-wrestling, color commentary or writing comic books.
But when Punk decided to enter the dreaded 8-sided structure, known as the "Octagon", it did raise a few eyebrows.
Despite not having the framework for a mixed martial arts fighter, Punk trained hard enough to finally land a debut against Mickey Gall (which he lost, in a typically humiliating fashion). He was derided and ridiculed by the entire MMA fraternity for being too pompous.
Personally speaking, Punk deserves every bit of respect for not just "expressing a desire" to fight in the Octagon but to actually go out there and perform, irrespective of the final result. Here are 5 reasons why Punk commands admiration:
#5 He dared to make the transition
After amassing both fortune and fame, when people like to take it a wee bit easy in life, this man decided to up the ante and he did it in a typically alpha-esque way. The thought of pushing the boundaries itself should elicit respect for anyone, let alone the straight-edge warrior.
After years of pro-wrestling and “fake fighting” (obviously a bloody misnomer that is an instant pet-peeve), CM Punk decided to give mixed martial arts a shot and attuned his body and mind to the MMA lifestyle and grind.
Far-fetched from professional wrestling is the domain of “real fighting” and it takes more than just a whimsical decision to even show up at the grandest stage of MMA, i.e. Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Punk made the change and gave it his all while preparing for the framework to be laid. Not having any background in fighting, Punk began training for the road ahead in January 2015. While he was supposed to make his octagon debut later that year, a shoulder injury sidelined him for another year and a half. While a “casual” enthusiast would have given up, Punk decided to assiduously dedicate himself to staying focused.