CM Punk’s Moment of Truth!
By JM “Shade” Daguio
He asked for it, now he has it…
Phil “CM Punk” Brooks was a pro-wrestler; he was born to be one.
Great image, had the look, great mic skills, good physique, he was one of WWE’s great superstars, with a multitude of followers from all over the world and yet it wasn’t enough.
December 6, 2014, The UFC announced that Phil Brooks, the man famously known as CM Punk will be making his debut in the UFC. It was definitely a treat, another good exposure for MMA’s premiere fight league but purists and fighters were protesting, UFC is not a grassroots league, it’s the top boss of MMA leagues, the baddest dudes go to UFC to announce their arrival but not former fake wrestling superstars.
The aforementioned “purists and fighters” weren’t only protesting of Brooks’ 0-0 record but his initial martial arts background. For a pro-wrestler, he doesn’t have the amateur/collegiate wrestling like the ones that came before him, Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley. Brooks did not want to start small with regional or minor leagues, he wants to debut in the biggest stage ever, the boldness in his ambition is commendable but may be the beginning of a rude awakening.
On Sept. 10th Brooks will face Mickey Gall, a young, hungry, athletic fighter that came from the local fight scenes, specifically picked by the UFC with a 2-0 record. The UFC made sure that they find the right opponent for Brooks, they’re careful not to pick a no-name fighter with too many losses or too inexperienced but at the same time they’re looking for someone with potential that may also be catapulted to stardom, with a 2-0 record (2 stoppages via submission), Gall seems like the perfect opponent, he’s not experienced like Brooks but has more than enough skills to not only test Brooks but also stop him.
Now Brooks will have to be prepared with the rigors of “real” fighting, such as weight cuts, media obligations during a tedious fight week, the actual fight itself, the punches, the chokes, the locks and the possibility of devastating loss that may even cost him his career. Will he pull it off?
This is the time; it’s put up or shut up. CM Punk asked for it, now he shall receive it.
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