7 Things We Learned From The Evolution Of CM Punk - Episode 2
3. For Punk, Weight Was An Issue
The doc next jumps to May 2015, when Punk appears at the EXOS training facility, a state of the art performance centre for pro athletes. Photos surfaced last year of Punk alongside fighters such as Luke Rockhold at EXOS, but nothing suggested what we'd see in the second episode of The Evolution of Punk.
While Punk was seen working out at the facility, a big chunk of his time there was focused on his weight. At the time, Punk weighed in at 196.2 pounds, and considered himself fat. While a specialist wouldn't go as far as saying he was fat, she did suggest they could help him with his weight - especially considering that the welterweight division, 170lbs, was his goal.
Back to the EXOS expert, who outlines a pound a week weight loss plan for Punk. After twelve to fourteen weeks, he'll enter a maintenance period where his weight pretty much plateaus until closer to fight time.
That should give you some insight into the weight difference between pro wrestlers (where extra bulk is an attraction) and fighters (who use weight cutting for size/strength advantages). Punk was always considered a smaller talent in the WWE, but in the UFC, he needs to drop the bulk. This may help his mobility and stamina, and has obvious long term benefits.