CM Punk Sounds Off On Haters Of UFC 225 Comeback
On Saturday (June 9, 2018) night, former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star Phil “CM Punk” Brooks will take on Mike Jackson on UFC 225’s main card in what will only be his second professional mixed martial arts fight.
He made his debut at UFC 203 in September 2016, although it didn’t go too well, as he was dominated and submitted just minutes into the first round by opponent Mickey Gall.
This time, however, Punk plans to take his time and he expects the experience to be a bit different:
“I see myself taking my time and getting a little comfortable,” Punk told MMAjunkie. “I think that was a big thing. I just kind of need to get in there for a couple seconds and bounce around and just be in the octagon for a little bit. I think last time I thought, ‘Well the quicker I start, the quicker it’s over.’ I was kind of right.
“This time it’s going to be a little bit different. I’m just going to take my time, make sure I’m doing a lot of the little things the right way, orient myself to where I’m at, find my coaches and make sure I can hear them. Then just take it slow. The object from that point is to have fun.”
And as far as those criticizing his position on the card go, Punk said fans simply don’t have to watch if they don’t wish to:
“I could give a (expletive) if they watch or not,” Punk said. “Don’t watch. If you bought the Kiss album that came out before they took their makeup off and they don’t like it, don’t buy the (expletive) album where they take their makeup off. It’s a gimmick. Don’t watch. But you’re still going to go complain about it on Twitter. It’s none of my business what you think of me. I don’t care.
“I think people’s perception of me is that I have a huge (ego). I really don’t think I do. You called me a superstar, and I don’t view myself through that lens at all. At all. I get it. I did some stuff. Whatever. But when it comes to all the stuff that maybe MMA fans think matter, being on the pay-per-view, being on the poster – I’m like, whatever. If I can fight earlier, I’d like to fight earlier because I try not to train at 9 o’clock at night, and I’d be showered and elbow deep in a pizza and a pint of ice cream before y’all get in the building. So why are y’all mad?”
UFC 225 is set to be headlined by a middleweight title rematch between champion Robert Whittaker and interim titleholder Yoel Romero. The co-main event, meanwhile, will feature an interim welterweight title fight between former 155-pound champion Rafael dos Anjos and Colby Covington.
