When it was announced Mickey Gall would be CM Punk's first UFC opponent, it seemed like the former WWE Superstar was finally set to enter the Octagon. Now, he's endured yet another setback.
The "Best in the World" has pushed back his debut on several occasions. Punk mostly delayed his first fight in order to be 100 percent ready for battle, but he also suffered a shoulder injury while training, which further stalled the proceedings.
CM Punk Lashes Out At The Media
Now, the years of wear and tear he put on his back in professional wrestling is causing him to undergo surgery in his home city of Chicago on Wednesday, according to MMAFighting.com.
"My back has always bugged me," Punk told the site. "Figured it was just wrestling s--t. Turns out it was."
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Punk said he has been in "agony" for over a month and none of the myriad treatments he tried worked, so he has no choice but to go under the knife. Punk originally signed on with the UFC in December of 2014, but has yet to enter the Octagon after walking out on the WWE that January.
After Gall defeated Mike Jackson in the first-round on Saturday, Punk came face-to-face with his would-be first opponent, and their fight was expected to take place this summer. Punk knew about the injury prior to Gall's fight but didn't reveal it, according to MMAFighting.com.
This could be a sign that Punk should have stayed in wrestling. That's not to say Vince McMahon's company isn't dangerous as it's the very place that messed up Punk's back to begin with, but the former wrestler has now become the center of a circus with all of the delays of his first fight.
If he was wrestling and took time off to heal an injury, not much would be made of it, but his supporters and haters have been waiting for him to finally enter the Octagon and he's let them down on several occasions.
Considering all the hype surrounding his debut, perhaps jumping ship from the WWE in the first place was a mistake since so far he hasn't delivered on any of it. He deserves respect for following his dreams, but he may have waited too long to do so.
Then again, Punk isn't one to necessarily pander to anyone, and it's his brash attitude that led to him butting heads with the WWE's brass and to his eventual departure from the company.
Punk may have the brazen demeanor to deal with his most outspoken critics, but at age 37, if he continues to push back his debut he may regret ever leaving the world of professional wrestling to begin with.
He described this latest setback as a "bump in the road," and so far, it's just one of many.
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