When the UFC announced the signing of former pro-wrestling champion CM Punk last December, the response by fans and media wasn’t particularly positive. Since then, we haven’t heard much of Punk, who immediately joined Muay Thai expert Duke Roufus and his team in Milwaukee, to get ready for his first steps inside the Octagon. Right after his signing, the former WWE superstar promised he won’t make his debut until “late 2015”.
Six months have passed since then. We are mid-2015 and people seem to bug him on social media about when and where he will compete in his first fight.
“I think a lot of people are antsy. They’re saying on Twitter, ‘Ah, you’re never going to fight.’ This was just announced in what? November? December? I’ve been training full-time for like six months. As bad as I have the itch to get in there, like I said, I want to be as prepared as I possibly can be. I wouldn’t be upset if it got pushed into 2016”, Punk said during the latest edition of The Jon Anik and Kenny Florian Podcast.
“I’m super OK with it if my accountant is. I know Duke has told me, and I think he’s been public with it, that he would like a full 12 months before he signed off on me fighting,” he continued. “I’ve had zero talks with Dana (White) or Lorenzo (Fertitta) or Joe Silva – anybody – about an opponent, about a date. I’m thankful for that because there’s zero pressure on that, too.”
Punk also gave an update on his progress in the gym, where he is surrounded by high-profile fighters, such as former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis or wrestling standout Ben Askren.
“It’s just a grind,” Punk said. “I wrestled for stupid lengths of time in front of almost 100,000 people. You deal with an adrenaline dump and all that stuff. When you’re sparring and doing those rounds and everyone in the gym is, to be honest, light years better than you. I really think it is sink or swim. It’s just getting through that round. Physically I’m always there. My legs are always under me and I’m never out of breath. I think to go forward in any aspect of MMA, it’s all mental. Luckily I’m pretty strong there.”
Punk stressed, that he will take his time to prepare, even if it takes until next year, because he is in this for the long-run. People have accused him of not knowing what he is getting himself into, of believing this whole MMA thing is just a little joke. But it looks like he doesn’t. Punk, who was known to be very driven as a pro-wrestler, is taking this game very seriously and plans to get a long career out of it.
“I’m also looking at the big picture. This isn’t a one-and-done thing for me. I’m not looking to fight just once, win, lose or draw. This is something I’m training for, and I feel like it would be a super waste of time if I was just training for one fight or anything like that, if I wasn’t just making a career out of it. Getting beat up in the gym every day wouldn’t be worth it in the big picture”, Punk said. “I’m not saying I’m going to make a title run or anything like that, but I’m also – I’m looking to maximize my time here. If I wind up fighting in 2016, I’m not going to be upset about it.”
(Transcription taken from MMA Junkie)