Mickey Gall On CM Punk: He’s A Great Actor, Not A Great Fighter

Mickey Gall is well known now due to his dominate performance over CM Punk at UFC 203, which was heavily promoted. As seen in the fight, Gall put Punk on his back and punched his face in that ultimately led to him getting the submission win via rear-naked choke. Gall stated at the post-fight presser that Punk was a great actor going into the fight, but his real skillset was exposed in the fight.

“He’s an actor. He’s a phenomenal actor. It could’ve been acting,” Gall said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I knew my kill stuff was going to be more than his kill stuff. I know two-year guys. I beat up 10-year guys. I’ve been doing it since I was a teenager, so I knew what to expect. I knew I’d be able to dominate.

“I really wanted to show [my striking] off, but he just came in hot. He came in too hot. He came in too aggressive, so I just let my training take over, and I knew I’d beat him in either spot. I knew I’d be better, so I just took him down.”

Gall believes he can be a future world champion, and that is the path he wants to go down.

“This is what I want to do, man,” Gall said. “Since I was 16, every decision I made in my life was towards being here. I saw the path when I found out Dana White was going to be at my first fight. I’m a thinker. I saw the path, and this is where I want to be. I want war with the best guys in the world. I want to climb. I want to be a UFC champion.”

When asked what he thinks Punk should do next, Gall stated that Punk should take some time off and then fight again. Despite what some people think, Gall believes that Punk will get another fight in the largest MMA promotion in the world because he is a superstar and can draw money.

“I think he should take some time,” Gall said. “I think there’s still money to be made on him. He’s still a big superstar, so I think he will have another UFC fight. A lot of guys are like, ‘the guy doesn’t belong here.’ Privilege doesn’t rub people in a good way, but I think he’s kind of earned that privilege by being obviously a talented guy in something else. I think he’ll probably have another fight. I think he should really focus in and train for a little bit, but (then) get a chance at retribution.”

Gall already has his next fight in mind, and that is against fellow UFC prospect Sage Northcutt.

“I think I fight Sage next, I’m going to beat him up and then they’re going to know me more, then I’m going to beat up the next guy and the next guy. The only reason I wanted to fight CM Punk, the guy who is a rudimentary fighter, he’s early in his career, I said that just to get here. This is where I want to be. I want to be in the UFC. Now I get going with the UFC killers, and I can prove myself.”