CM Punk admits he was too old for MMA transition by the time he made his UFC debut
Former UFC fighter CM Punk has opened up on his transition from professional wrestling to MMA and how his age played a huge role in hampering his performances in the sport of MMA.
CM Punk admitted that he was too old by the time he entered the sport of MMA and competed in his first MMA bout in the UFC.
CM Punk had been wanting to transition from pro wrestling to MMA way before his UFC debut
Speaking to former WWE on-screen personality and commentator Renee Paquette (known in WWE as Renee Young) on her Oral Sessions podcast, former WWE champion CM Punk opened up on a myriad of topics.
CM Punk, who made his MMA debut at the age of 37, notably spoke about transitioning from professional wrestling to the sport of MMA. Punk stated:
“You know I always wanted to do it, and being on the road, you know – eight days a week, for how long WWE people are on the road for – I could never train consistently. I had planned on leaving when my deal was up at the end of 2010 or 2011 or whatever it was. And like that was kind of my plan. Because I always thought like if I was gonna train (MMA), it was never just gonna be a hobby for me. You know, to me, it’d be like training to be a pro wrestler without stepping in the ring and wrestling in front of a crowd.”
“So, the idea was just I was gonna leave. I needed time off anyway, but I would just devote a lot of time to full-time training…Because I wasn’t at that time…I wasn’t a big enough name to where somebody was just gonna be like, ‘hey, it’s a spectacle. It’s a freak show,’ like everyone wants to watch you fight.”
CM Punk explained that before he broke through as a true megastar during the latter stages of his WWE career, he had intended on working on his MMA career ‘the right way’.
Punk revealed that he aimed to get in a few amateur MMA fights and then gradually work his way through the professional MMA world right to the UFC.
CM Punk tells Renee Paquette he was too old by the time he transitioned to MMA
CM Punk emphasized that his detractors, who claim that he didn’t deserve the huge paydays he received for his MMA fights in the UFC, don’t understand business.
Punk pointed out that he worked hard to turn himself into a well-known name whom people would pay to see compete in an MMA fight. CM Punk believes this is why he received huge paydays in the UFC despite not being a high-level MMA fighter.
Furthermore, CM Punk indicated that he stayed too long in the WWE rather than making the transition to MMA earlier in his life.
Punk suggested that this decision worked as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it helped him become a huge star in WWE and gain mainstream recognition which opened a direct path for him to the UFC.
On the other hand, he was too old when he ultimately did make the transition to MMA and debuted in the UFC. Punk stated:
“The way I did everything, the way everything unfolded, was a hundred per cent backwards.”
“I guess I got a little hot there at the end of my run in WWE, and you know I was faced with an opportunity. It was like re-sign for three more years – even though I was already shot, I was already pretty mentally and physically exhausted – and I obviously re-signed and then that kind of delayed everything for another three years.”
“And then the idea was, ‘let’s do this before you get too old’. And you know, turns out I was too old.” CM Punk added as he and Renee Paquette burst into laughter. (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)
CM Punk - whose real name is Phil Brooks - retired from professional wrestling in 2014. He competed in two MMA fights, both in the UFC – losing via first-round submission to Mickey Gall in September 2016, and then losing to Mike Jackson via unanimous decision in June 2018.
CM Punk hasn’t competed in an MMA bout ever since. The popular former professional wrestler presently works as a commentator for Cage Fury Fighting Championships. Moreover, Punk has been working as an actor, besides having other business pursuits as well.