Despite being a legendary professional wrestler, CM Punk’s career in mixed martial arts did not go smoothly. To be honest, it went terribly wrong.
In late 2015, Punk declared his intention to give mixed martial arts a try. Remarkably, he was asked to make his debut in the UFC, the largest promoter in the sport, even though he had no prior experience in martial arts.
In 2016, Punk made his UFC Octagon debut at UFC 203, where he faced up against up-and-coming contender Mickey Gall. In the matchup, he undoubtedly displayed a lot of heart. He was submitted in the first round, though, as it was obvious that he lacked the talent and athleticism necessary to survive in MMA.
In 2018, despite his lackluster debut, Punk was given another opportunity in the Octagon when he faced Mike Jackson, who was essentially a part-time fighter. The bout was eventually declared a No Contest after Jackson tested positive for drugs, but Punk survived all three rounds and lost by a unanimous decision.
Since then, the WWE star has prospered as a commentator for the regional MMA promotion Cage Fury Fighting Championships and has maintained his high level of success as a professional wrestler. He is obviously not cut out for mixed martial arts, though, and at 46, he probably won’t fight ever again.
Naturally, this does not imply that no WWE stars can compete at the greatest level in mixed martial arts. After all, Brock Lesnar is a legendary UFC heavyweight champion, and others may follow in his footsteps.
CM Punk in MMA does not impress Drew McIntyre
Scottish WWE star Drew McIntyre, for his part, believes he would do much better than Punk in MMA.
“I can confidently say, if I got in the Octagon right now with zero training whatsoever, I would do 1,000 times better than CM Punk,” he said during a WWE Vlog filmed at the UFC’s recent show in London (via Fightful). “I mean that. 1,000 times better.”
It’s important to note, of course, that Punk and McIntyre have had a lengthy feud while they were on the WWE roster. This might just be trash-talking based on that. It’s reasonable to argue, nevertheless, that the Scotsman could outperform Punk in the Octagon. Despite his wrestling prowess, Punk was unable to make it.
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