Ex-WWE star CM Punk’s venture into mixed martial arts generated tremendous interest and scrutiny, but after two resounding losses in the octagon, it seems highly unlikely that the 40-year-old will return to the UFC for another bout. Punk made his debut at UFC 203, where he was overmatched and quickly demolished by Mickey Gall, and suffered a unanimous decision loss at UFC 225 against Mike Jackson.
In an interview with ESPN, Punk admitted that he “did things completely backwards” in the UFC, but said he has no regrets about the way things turned out.
Via ESPN:
“What’s done is done. I did things completely backwards, and I’m 100 percent fine with that. I’m not going to say, ‘I wish I would have done this, and I wish I would have started as an amateur, and I wish I would have fought in a cornfield somewhere in southern Illinois.’ Like I said before, I’m a different animal when it comes to this world. I think obviously it’s afforded me opportunities, and I just say yes to things.
I feel completely at peace. I love the experience. Losing stinks, but I’m not dead. I woke up the next day to my beautiful wife, my awesome dog. The sun came out. So I’m like cool, I woke up today. It’s not the end of the world.”
Punk also said that while he still believes he’s a part of the UFC roster, he’s been waiting to receive the news that he’s been cut.
“I think I’m just kind of floating right now. But have I been offered anything? No, I haven’t. Every time somebody calls me, though, I’m like, ‘Oh, this is it, I’m cut.’ I think I’ve come to terms with it. I’d be like, ‘All right.'”
Punk is scheduled to appear at Starrcast, a wrestling fan convention in his hometown of Chicago in August, and fans have endlessly speculated that he could potentially be headed to AEW, an upstart rival to WWE. According to Punk, fans shouldn’t be expecting anything.
