CM Punk’s Coach Believes Striking Is His Best Weapon
Since the UFC announced back in December that CM Punk would be joining the UFC, everyone from fans, fighters and media members have made their opinions clear about him going from the squared circle to the world famous Octagon.
Punk said at a media day during UFC International Fight Week in Las Vegas that his progression is coming along while training MMA under his coach Duke Roufus. According to Punk, Roufus will let him know when he’s ready to fight in his first MMA bout.
“Everybody asks Duke, ‘Well, how’s he doing?’ and Duke tells everybody that he thinks my best area right now is striking, believe it or not,” Punk said to MMA Fighting.com. “Which is mind-boggling to me. Striking is the one thing that I never did. I’ve hit mitts before. I’ve done boxing and stuff like that. But just all the little nuances, with like everything you need to do with your feet, your head, just movement, correct movement. That’s been the most challenging thing aside from wrestling.”
“Duke says I’m doing OK,” Punk said. “Duke won’t lie to me.”
Some agree that Punk joining the UFC will bring eyeballs from the pro wrestling audience to the mixed martial arts scene, but some also disagree with the move as they feel it hurts the sport of MMA.
“I don’t think I’d be doing this if I didn’t think I was gonna win my first fight,” Punk said. “My mindset is not, hey I’m gonna do this just to get paid and I expect to lose. That’s definitely not what’s gonna happen.”
Punk trains with some of the most elite MMA fighters in the world and being trained by a world class trainer in Duke Roufus at Roufusport Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Milwaukee.
The 36-year old has signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC but is not certain if he will fight in the middleweight or welterweight division.
