7 Things We Learned From The Evolution Of CM Punk - The Ground Up
4. Wrestling May Be As Much Of A Concern As Punk's Stand-up Game
When Punk's jump to MMA was first announced, one of the biggest concerns was his stand-up game. Punk was known to have dabbled in jiu-jitsu on the side, but striking was the big weak spot.
Or so we thought.
Something often overlooked was the fact that while Punk was a successful pro wrestler, he lacks any amateur wrestling background. That means takedown defense, and the ability to grapple with his opponents, may also be an issue.
This was apparent in The Ground Up as Punk struggled on the mat as well as on the feet. Almost immediately in his first sparring session, Punk's opponent shoots in. Punk is unable to sprawl or get into a wizard stance, and winds up on his back. Of course this early in Punk's training, and he happens to have one of the best wrestlers in the world as a training partner in "Funky" Ben Askren, ONE Championship's welterweight title holder.
Here's to hoping Punk has been sucking up knowledge like a sponge, because he's going to need all the advantages he can get when he meets Mickey Gall at UFC 203.