And, apparently, he loved every second of it.
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But there was CM Punk, the pro wrestling alter ego of Phil Brooks, in the Octagon on Saturday night at UFC 203 in Cleveland, getting the chance to live out his UFC superfan dreams and compete against another neophyte in Mickey Gall.
The 24-year-old New Jersey native dropped low and took Punk down with a double-leg during the bout’s opening moments.
Despite the attention given to CM Punk’s debut, this will likely be the last time he appears on the main card at a UFC PPV event. “Just like I said with Brock, having your first fight with the UFC is tough, and you see tonight, even if it’s up against a guy who’s 2-0, this is a tough place to learn”. This was a hell of a mountain to try and climb. “I told him that everyone else is going to say that about you through your entire career”.
“Obviously, Mickey’s a hell of a fighter”, Punk said.
“I think they’re going to force me to stay out because I’ve got this ear and some stitches in my eye, but I’d be back in the gym on Monday if it was up to me”. “This was the second best day of my life, besides marrying my wife”.
While he got resoundingly beaten in the ring, Punk still remained humble and excited to continue to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
Gall dominated the fight and finished Punk inside two and a half minutes. Gall followed that with punches and elbows from top position, before advancing to side control and then mount. After the win, Gall’s professional debut, he seized the opportunity to call out CM Punk with White in attendance. “They say we’re Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight young guns”. The Gall-Punk fight was delayed earlier this year when Punk required back surgery, but Gall elected to wait, rather than ask for another fight.
He flashed his theatrical chops at the weigh-in, staring Gall down during their faceoff and then grinning to the crowd as the other fighter retreated from the stage. Punk is just not an experienced enough fighter and what drawing power he had was diminished a little by the loss.
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‘He came in hot so I took him down, ‘ Gall said.
