CM Punk Interview At UFC 203 Earns High Praise

A wise individual once said, “Adversity introduces a man to himself.” After a devastating loss to Mickey Gall at UFC 203, CM Punk knows himself a little bit better. According to Wrestling Inc, the former WWE Heavyweight Champion cut a tremendous interview and promo after making his MMA debut in Cleveland on Saturday night.

After spending years on the road and performing in all corners of the globe, CM Punk decided that he no longer wanted to be a WWE star. Aside from being disenchanted with how management handled things backstage, Punk also yearned to chase other dreams in his life.

For professional wrestlers, working in WWE is the pinnacle of success. The company is the most successful of its kind in the industry. World Wrestling Entertainment provides the biggest stage for professional wrestlers. That is why so many up-and-coming performers build their lives around getting signed by the company.

"You go BIG or you go home" – @CMPunk #UFC203 https://t.co/H4LEnkXwmI

— UFC (@ufc) September 11, 2016

CM Punk endured the arduous road to get to WWE. He worked for pennies in various high school gyms while trying to make a name for himself. In 2005, Punk’s efforts finally paid off as he was signed by World Wrestling Entertainment. It would take a couple of more years before he was finally one of the top stars in the promotion.

Once CM Punk decided that he no longer wanted to be a WWE star, the Chicago native decided that he wanted to try his hand at mixed martial arts. Even though he was in his late 30s, he felt that could succeed in that industry.

In 2014, UFC came calling. Fortunately for CM Punk, he had become a bit of a celebrity after his stint in WWE. That was enough to earn him a chance with Dana White. Despite not having any experience in MMA, he was offered the chance to fight on the biggest stage.

CM Punk was not given much of a chance to be successful in UFC, especially by those that view professional wrestlers in a bad light. Many predicted that Punk would fail miserably, even though he spent approximately 20 months training to become an MMA fighter.

At UFC 203, CM Punk finally got his chance to show the world what he can do in MMA. Not surprisingly, he was soundly defeated by Mickey Gall, a lesser known fighter who still had a lot more experience than Punk. As expected, the critics jumped on the chance to bash Punk for trying.

Well before he tapped out to Mickey Gall, CM Punk had a good idea of what people would say if he were to lose in his UFC debut. The 37-year-old showed that he was prepared by giving one of the best speeches, one that was inspirational and humble.

In speaking with Joe Rogan after the fight, CM Punk stated that he tried to climb a really difficult mountain. Though he failed, Punk insisted that he is going to keep trying. He stated that it was the most fun that he has had in his life, which is quite the change from how miserable he was during his final months in WWE.

In trying to inspire others, CM Punk stated that the outcome was definitely not something that he had hoped for. However, he believes that the biggest failure in life is not trying. Punk then decided to thank the city of Cleveland for being quite supportive of his foray into MMA.

Rather than sitting there and wondering what might have been, CM Punk now knows what he can do as an MMA fighter. UFC gave him the chance of a lifetime, and he ran with the ball.

[Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images]