7 Things We Learned From The Evolution Of CM Punk Final Episode
3. Phil Brooks Isn't Fighting Saturday - CM Punk Is
If you want to talk about what we've learned from The Evolution of Punk, well one thing is clear: this Saturday, Phil Brooks isn't the man in the cage. CM Punk is.
What does that mean? Simply that Punk hasn't let his persona go. First and foremost, he's keeping the Punk name, and financially, he'd be stupid not to. Still, by the time the end of the episode rolls around and Cult of Personality by Living Colour kicks in - Punk's old theme music and his likely UFC walkout tune - it's clear that Punk is very much the same man who left WWE. He's trying to entertain.
There's a little bit of theatrics to his workout montage. He even talks about the venue for UFC 203 being the same one he walked out of WWE in - and that he feels he's cursed in the building. He hasn't really let WWE go.
He's very much a pro wrestler about to debut in the UFC with no experience. It's made clear again when countless reporters shove mics in his face, looking for sound bites. Punk is quick to answer, almost like he's following a script he's writing as he goes along, but that's out the door come Saturday.
Doing all this as Phil Brooks, in retrospect, might have actually been a better option. It might have kept the pressure off a little more. Shun the press, drop all links to WWE, just go into training and grind it out.