7 Reasons It's Time For CM Punk To Make His Wrestling Return

Despite a significant amount of hype and expectation - considering his muay thai background and reputation as a submission specialist within WWE - CM Punk lost his first UFC match against up-and-coming Mickey Gall in well under three minutes.

Dana White is smart enough to know that CM Punk is a draw, and that even if Punk continues to lose matches, people will still tune in. Similarly, CM Punk knows that he can probably earn more in one night losing a UFC match than he can in ten nights holding a WWE championship.

But what then?

This is not to assume that CM Punk will lose all of his future UFC bouts – but let’s say, hypothetically, that he does. The spirit of all combat sports, predetermined or otherwise, is founded upon competition. If fans expect that a fight will be too one-sided, they might watch it happen once, for the sheer sadism of it all, but two more times? Three more times? Eventually, people will lose interest in seeing CM Punk compete in UFC, and if Punk doesn’t start winning matches, it could harm his name as a bankable combat athlete.

Furthermore, how far can CM Punk delve into the world of MMA before his pride and ego are wounded? He left WWE at the very top of the industry, and at the top of his game, but continuing to fight and lose in UFC could potentially tarnish his legacy. Punk might be earning more in MMA than he did in WWE, but in doing so, he risks losing something far greater: being able to take pride in his own abilities.