It was always going to be an uphill task for CM Punk in his MMA debut, but we can all agree that he deserves respect for his courage in even setting foot in the Octagon.
Punk, real name Phil Brooks, was a considerable underdog for his first taste of mixed martial arts combat and that was understandable given the combination of his age, his lack of both training time and amateur experience, as well as the undeniable talent possessed by the man hand-picked to welcome him to the UFC.
Tasked with taking Punk on was Mickey Gall, a young Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt under the Miller brothers.
And the two years of training at Milwaukee’s Roufusport, as arduous as they presumably were, clearly weren’t enough to prepare a 38-year-old for the brightest stage in global mixed martial arts.
Punk lasted just 134 seconds with Gall, who didn’t take long in securing back mount, his favourite position.
Gall, 24, was relentless in his pursuit of the rear naked choke and when he sunk his forearm under Punk’s chin, the former WWE superstar had no option but to tap.
JUST LIKE THAT! @mickeygall submits @CMPunk via rear-naked choke! #UFC203 https://t.co/uGzy5DqVkf
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) September 11, 2016
In the wake of his victory, Gall wasted no time in calling out another hyped fighter as he expressed an interest in meeting Sage Northcutt next.
UFC 205, anybody?
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