7 Things We Learned From The Evolution Of CM Punk - The Ground Up
Is Punk really evolving?
At long last, the debut of CM Punk in the UFC is on the horizon. Next month, at UFC 203, he'll take on the 2-0 Mickey Gall in Punk's first ever professional MMA fight.
It has been a long, arduous journey to the cage for the man born Phil Brooks and known to wrestling fans around the world as Punk. His quest to jump from professional wrestling to martial arts has been frequently criticized by both fans and fellow fighters, and he has faced injury setbacks and training difficulties along the way. Many believed the day might never come, but Punk was unwavering in his determination to fight in the UFC.
Documenting all of this has been Fox Sports and UFC Fight Pass, who released the first episode of The Evolution of CM Punk earlier this week. It's an unprecedented look at both Punk's training and personal life, and gives some key insight into Punk's motivation and development as a fighter.
For Punk, win or lose, simply making it to the octagon can be considered a victory. However, he is determined to come out of his first fight successful. The Evolution of Punk may give some hints as to whether that's likely, so lets take a look at seven things we learned from Ep. 1 "The Ground Up."
7. This Doc Was Planned From Day One
Featuring footage of Punk commuting to Roufusport in Wisconsin, it appears that The Evolution of CM Punk was planned from the get-go. After all, Punk eventually relocated to be closer to the gym, so the three hour commute mentioned in the first episode of the documentary is no longer necessary. Footage, in fact, goes right back to early 2015 and Punk's first months with the gym.
That gives you some insight into how the UFC views Punk. Between this documentary and the many fan appearances he has made, there's as much value (if not more) in CM Punk outside of the cage than in it.
Thinking a little longer term, if Punk's career in fighting fizzles, there could be ample opportunities for him to work as a commentator (especially with Joe Rogan taking a reduced role), and with a fight or two under his belt, he'd at least have some legitimacy in the position.
In any case, it's nice to see Punk's early training experiences, as it allows you to get a full picture of his "evolution" - or in this first episode, at least, his starting point. It also shows that while the UFC originally teased his debut for the Summer of 2015, a later debut was likely expected all along.