CM Punk: With a few UFC wins, 'who's to say I don't get a title shot?'

Ever since Phil “CM Punk” Brooks signed with the UFC, people have questioned whether or not the former professional wrestler was serious about an MMA career or simply trying out a newfound hobby to pass the time.

But when the ex-WWE superstar appeared on the Colin Cowherd’s “The Herd,” he expressed under no uncertain terms that he had plans that extended beyond a perceived publicity stunt. Not only does Punk have his eyes set on a fruitful MMA career, but he also has a desire to become a champion.

“I know people think this is a publicity stunt, I’m never going to set foot in the Octagon,” Punk said.

After 18 months of waiting, dealing with injuries and training, Punk finally secured his first professional fight at UFC 203 against Mickey Gall, who earned the opportunity to face the debuting fighter when he defeated Mike Jackson in March. Sportsbook Review has Punk as a +235 underdog, and for good reason. Without an extensive background in any combat sport, the 37-year-old is essentially coming into the sport as green as any amateur with only 18 months of training under his belt.

But that doesn’t discourage Punk one bit and the former WWE champion looks to silence the naysayers in September.

“I look forward to proving them wrong, but to me, it’s not super far-fetched to be like, ‘You know what? What if I put three or four wins together? Who’s to say I don’t get a title shot?’ ” Punk said.

CM Punk isn’t here to make a quick buck. He’s made his fair share of money during his time in the WWE. Why Punk is doing this is to prove that he’s a reflection of the phrased that was attached to his pompous WWE character: “Best In The World.”

Obviously, he expected some criticism to come with his decision to transition from the sports entertainment world to something as real as fighting inside of a cage. But Punk is a little surprised at the level of pushback that MMA fans have given after hearing about his signing.

“I do find it strange that there are those fringe fans that are so in love with [the sport] that they want to try to protect it and for whatever reason, somebody like myself fighting in the UFC somehow degrades the sport,” Punk said. “I always think at the end of the day there’s two human beings locked inside of a cage, trying to hurt each other. You can’t really degrade that. There’s something pure about it that nobody outside of that cage can touch.”

Rest assured that CM Punk is determined to prove his worth and fight his way to the top. Win or lose against Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September, Punk is here to stay.

“To wrestling fans who say, ‘Oh, this is B.S. … the ones who say I’m going to fight one time are the same ones now saying I’m never going to make it to the Octagon,” Punk said. “They’re entitled to their opinion, but I’ll prove them all wrong.”