CM Punk is probably the one fighter listed who could still make the jump to MMA. A Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belt, Punk is a well known MMA fan who has attended several UFC events, and was once pencilled in to be part of Chael Sonnen's walkout entourage, until Vince McMahon nixxed the idea. After walking out on the WWE earlier this year, rumours quickly began to swirl that Punk would make the transition into the MMA world - and Punk, for his part, didn't exactly deny them. He even discussed the possibility with MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani back in January. Punk's upside as an MMA fighter is unknown, but according to Rener Gracie, the WWE superstar has "no limit" when it comes to MMA. It was Rener who awarded Punk his BJJ black belt. He also trains in Muay Thai, which again makes him a true mixed martial artist, and not just an expert in one discipline (the way Kurt Angle could be looked at when he was showing interest in MMA, for example). A bout or two on the regional circuit would be a great way for Punk to test the MMA waters, if he really wanted to make a go of it. If he were to win that, Dana White would be insane not to sign the star to a contract, given how many eyeballs a bout with Punk would bring over to the UFC.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
