CM Punk Says ‘MMA Is Pro Wrestling’ In His Latest Interview

We haven’t heard a lot out of Phil Brooks, better known as CM Punk, since he announced that he would be training for his UFC debut at Milwaukee’s Roufusport Academy. Brooks sat down with Milwaukee’s TMJ 4 reporter Lance Allan for an interview on Friday, and he dropped some interesting tidbits:

“I think MMA is pro wrestling. If you go back to the early 1900’s and the whole genesis of professional wrestling, and then you go back to the early beginnings of MMA, it was all pro wrestlers.”

I think Punk just made a whole mess of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and vale tudo fighters really upset with that comment. Side note, now I kind of want to see Punk fight Pele Landi-Jons.

Speaking of pro wrestlers, though, Punk has been in contact with one of the most successful people to transition between mixed martial arts and pro graps, Brock Lesnar:

“I’ve talked to him and he’s offered all his help, even if it’s just bug him with a stupid question. It’s cool to know he supports me. He’s a good guy to know, I think.”

That is one thing I agree with Punk on, it would be good to know and be pals with your very own Incredible Hulk.

Of course, one of the big questions, aside from stupid stuff like what his walkout music will be and if he’ll attempt the G.T.S. during a fight, but when Punk will make his octagon debut:

“I’m not sure. My attitude is I’d fight tomorrow, but I’d pretty much know the outcome. I’m on an accelerated path. This is college and I’m cramming four years of college into one year.”

“I’ve been here a little over one month now. Five more months we’re going to sit down and we’re going to talk, and we’re going to see where my weight’s at, we’re going to see how I feel. It’s no longer just up to me. It’s up to my coaches.”

“This is just a guess, October, November, December. But we’ll see. I’m fully aware it could be later than that, could be earlier than that.”

Head trainer Duke Roufus said that there are some potential matchups in the UFC already that are favorable to Punk. I’m a little concerned that the training footage in the interview didn’t feature a single second of Punk’s striking, but just grappling.

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