Would CM Punk redeem his MMA record if given a second shot in the UFC? Exploring the possibilities

CM Punk in the UFC was an experiment defined by the uproar he caused among fighters who felt he was undeserving of the spotlight he'd been given and by his abysmal run of form in the promotion. The WWE star took a massive gamble, parlaying his fame as a pro wrestler into a potential MMA career.

Unfortunately, his inexperience and subpar athleticism for combat sports proved hurdles too great for him to overcome. Thus, he has since returned to sports entertainment, having spent two years in AEW, during which he racked up several injuries.

Now, he has returned to WWE, even recently competing at this year's Royal Rumble. However, he failed to emerge victorious. So could a return to MMA, given that he's now a wiser and more level-headed version of himself, lead to a turn in fortune?

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Analyzing CM Punk's UFC record

No one has ever confused CM Punk for a top fighter lurking behind the facade of a showman. Prior to his first run in the UFC, he had no martial arts background to speak of. This was in contrast to Brock Lesnar, who was an NCAA Division I wrestling champion long before he ever attained worldwide fame.

Punk had no such experience. He was merely a fan of MMA, whose interest in the sport found a perfect dance partner in his name value. He signed to the promotion in 2014, and officially began training at Roufusport MMA Academy in 2015. With no exceptional physical attributes to speak of, he had a tall task ahead of him.

He didn't have the luxury that the Greg Hardys of the world did in competing in a division as shallow as heavyweight. Nor did he possess Hardy's freakish athleticism from his days as a defensive end in the NFL. Punk was scheduled to compete at welterweight, where the level of competition was and is much higher.

His first bout was in 2016. But having started training in 2015, he had just a year to amass the skills necessary to compete with men who have been either wrestling or training in some martial art for most of their lives. The UFC did their best to throw him a bone, and he was matched up with Mickey Gall.

Gall was new to the sport, at least at the professional level, and boasted an unbeaten 2–0 record at the time. However, he had been boxing since he was 13, and competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, in which he was a black belt, since he was 16. Furthermore, he had amateur MMA experience.

Even against him, Punk was completely out of his depth. So, at UFC 203, when the pair locked horns, it surprised no one that Gall scored an effortless takedown before submitting 'The Best in the World' with a rear-naked choke, all within two minutes. The win extended Gall's record to 3–0, and Punk was off to a rough start.

Check out CM Punk's loss to Mickey Gall:

Additionally, the loss to Gall has aged poorly, as Gall did not go on to have a commendable MMA career. He has not fought since 2022, and his record sits at a disappointing 7–5. So what of Punk's other loss? Two years after his humbling defeat to Gall, Punk made his not-so-highly anticipated octagon return.

He took on Mike Jackson, a bottomfeeder fighter with a 0–1 record, also consisting of a loss to Gall. Having an identical record to Punk's implied a similar level of skill on paper. However, Jackson had prior boxing and kickboxing experience, as well as amateur MMA fights under his belt.

At UFC 225, the two men crossed swords, and Jackson was in complete control for almost the entire fight. Despite being on the verge of a finish several times, he opted against pulling the trigger against an exhausted, bloodied Punk. In the end, Jackson won a unanimous decision.

However, the result was subsequently overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for marijuana. Like Gall, Jackson is no praise-worthy fighter, currently sporting a 2–2 (1) record. Punk's ceiling as a mixed martial artist was clear back then. He just simply isn't that good, or good at all.

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CM Punk's age and physical decline

Even back in 2016, CM Punk lacked the natural athleticism expected of a professional fighter. He had no punching power, lacked kinetic chaining in his movements, was neither fast nor explosive, and tired easily. The probability that he is in better shape now, at 45 years old, than he was back then is unlikely.

In fact, it's outright impossible lest he resort to PEDs. Not only is Punk much older now, as nearly a decade has passed since he last fought in the UFC, but he has also sustained several injuries since his departure from MMA. He was injured more than once during his AEW tenure, and the same is now true in WWE.

At the Royal Rumble this past weekend, Punk tore his triceps in the match, which he revealed this past evening on 'Monday Night Raw.' His physical decline and wear and tear would have a significant negative impact on his ability to fight were he to return to the UFC.

After all, this was the case with another Roufusport MMA Academy product in Ben Askren, a formerly undefeated fighter whose mobility was severely hindered by age and an injured hip. If Askren, a lifelong amateur wrestler with championship MMA experience, struggled to brush off his injuries, Punk certainly won't at 45.

Furthermore, given Punk's commitment to pro-wrestling, he has neither had the time to nor has he seriously trained, outside of the odd session, in MMA since the end of his UFC run. Cage-rust would be an enormous hurdle for someone who doesn't have years upon years of built-in muscle memory primed for combat.

Additionally, MMA fighters have only improved since then. Were he to return to the UFC, not only would he not redeem his MMA record, he would likely suffer even more embarrassing defeats. That is if Dana White even dares sign him for a second time.