CM Punk opens up on CFFC commentator job, why he took it

Phil “CM Punk” Brooks didn’t plan on getting back into MMA as a color commentator. But then an old friend came calling.

Former UFC public relations chief Dave Sholler thought of him when he took a job with regional powerhouse Cage Fury Fighting Championships. Ever since, it’s been off to the races.

“This is what I love about it,” Punk told MMA Junkie Radio on Thursday. “It was a friend reaching out to a friend.”

Already, Punk is deep in research for his upcoming card on May 17 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. The event features a pair of title fights that the ex-WWE champ believes will deliver.

Punk said his goal is to find the stories no one else has and elevate the fighters as they make their way up the ranks. When he took the job, he already had strong opinions about what not to do on the mic.

“I’m there to call the action, give a little bit of perspective because I have been in fights, I have been in that position,” Punk said. “All these fighters, I want to help them get to the UFC. I’m that guy that goes to a concert, and I see a band, and I want to be able to say, ‘I saw them play a bowling alley, and now they’re headlining.’ Because I really truly love the stories and the triumph of the human spirit.”

Punk was savaged by critics before, during and after a pair of routs in the UFC. He doesn’t ever want to be a part of that negative energy when he’s evaluating fighters.

“I would frame it in a respectful way,” he said. “As a fan, you can criticize, but not trash. I’m not trying to trash anybody. Criticize me. Look at my two fights. Criticize me all you want, but you win or you learn.”

There are plenty of good stories to go around in CFFC, Punk added. Quickly, he’s rearranged his schedule to work around events. Fighting is on the backburner.

Don’t expect Punk to become a full-time commentator, though. He’s just enjoying the ride after Sholler told him he’d be good at this stuff.

“Obviously, if (UFC President) Dana (White) called me and said, ‘We need you. Paul Felder didn’t make the weight allowance for the helicopter ride.’ I’d be there. But I’m not trying to go to broadcaster school. It’s just something I have a knack for, and I enjoy doing it.”

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