CM Punk‘s UFC move - WWE champion signs up

FORMER WWE champion Phil “CM Punk” Brooks has signed with the UFC and will make his mixed martial arts debut sometime in the near future.

CM Punk in Raw action.

IN A shocking move announced during the UFC 181 pay-per-view on Saturday night, former WWE champion Phil “CM Punk” Brooks officially signed with the UFC and will make his mixed martial arts debut sometime in the near future.

While rumors had circulated for weeks that the UFC was interested in signing the former professional wrestler, it seemed to be just speculation, even when UFC president Dana White said this week that he would be interested in talking to Brooks.

CM Punk in Raw action.

Brooks left his previous job at WWE several months ago and has been a big fan of the UFC for many years. He’s also been seen in several training videos working with Rener and Ryron Gracie while polishing his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills.

Now he’s taken his hobby to the pros.

“I’d say my professional wrestling days are over. I’m sure I’m going to have to do plenty of wrestling in there. It’s awesome to be here,” Brooks said to UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

“This is something that has been in the back on my mind for a very, very long time,” Brooks said. “I have a background in Kenpo (karate), I’ve done Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu off and on for a very long time, but the idea of being able to step in the Octagon and find out what’s inside myself and test myself is an opportunity I was not able to deny myself. I don’t think I would have been able to live with myself if I didn’t give this a shot.”

At 36, Brooks joins the UFC with no fight training experience. While he has definitely fallen in love with grappling over the past few years, Brooks has spent his career on the mats as a professional wrestler in organizations like WWE.

It seems like a long shot that he’ll make a serious impact in the Octagon, but stranger things have happened. Many comparisons will be made to former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar because he also was a WWE star before transitioning to MMA. In Lesnar’s case, however, he was a former NCAA wrestling champion.

Brooks says he’s taking this move very seriously and says this is “100 percent” his new career. He hasn’t decided which weight class he’ll fight in, but most likely will be a middleweight or welterweight. Brooks also stated that he has started to reach out to different camps about training, but hasn’t decided on any coaching staff in particular.

“It is now or never for me,” Brooks said. “I have a limited window just like all fighters do and I fully intend to get in there and I’m here for a fight. I’m here to either get my ass kicked or kick somebody’s ass.”

Originally published as CM Punk‘s UFC move - WWE champion signs up