CM Punk. Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

CM Punk reflects on brief UFC run: ‘What ... was I thinking?’

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/2/24

Never one to shy away from a challenge, CM Punk traded in his wrestling boots for four-ounce UFC gloves back in 2014.

He only fought twice in the promotion, and his octagon debut lasted just two minutes and 14 seconds. But during Monday’s episode of “The MMA Hour,” Punk admitted to Ariel Helwani that looking back he doesn’t regret challenging himself in the best mixed martial arts company in the world despite wishing he’d done it sooner than age 38.

“What the [expletive] was I thinking?” Punk said. “I’m glad I did it. Zero regrets. … It’s easy to ‘LOL,’ make fun of me. You know what I mean? And some people look at that and be like, ‘Oh, that’s embarrassing.’ Like I suck. I made the weight, I made the walk, I’m 100% proud of myself, and I would do it again because that was me at my absolute worst, and I did it. I’m tenacious. I’m tough if I’m not [anything]. If you want to call me a loser, that’s cool. But I was stoked I got that opportunity, and I was stoked I did it.”

When he signed his multi-fight UFC contract in 2014, Punk had no official MMA training. He began working out at Roufusport MMA Academy in 2015 under Duke Roufus and made his UFC debut a year-and-a-half later against Mickey Gall (7-5) at UFC 203 in September 2016.

He lost via first-round submission due to a rear-naked choke, and he didn’t have his second UFC bout for another two years.

Against Mike Jackson (2-2-1) at UFC 225 in June 2018, Punk went all three rounds but lost via unanimous decision. The ruling was eventually overturned to a no contest after Jackson tested positive for marijuana.

Punk officially retired from the UFC in August 2021 (at the urging of UFC president Dana White) and picked back up with his pro wrestling career in All Elite Wrestling. He’s now under contract with the WWE again and is recovering from a torn triceps injury.

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