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CM Punk on His MMA Level: ‘I’ve Only Sparred a Few Times & Train Infrequently with Rener Gracie’

CM Punk on His MMA Level: ‘I’ve Only Sparred a Few Times & Train Infrequently with Rener Gracie’

 

 

Former WWE champion CM Punk was last week signed by the UFC. The news shocked a lot of MMA fans as he has no MMA record, no prior martial arts background although at 35 years old, he’s been training at the Gracie Academy for the past few years. He’s still a white belt in BJJ, but apparently only because he refuses belt promotions.

On a live interview on FOX Sports Live Wednesday night, newly-signed UFC fighter and former WWE superstar CM Punk revealed he’s trained  very little MMA has sparred in MMA with

“I’ve on done that with some inexperienced people just a few times. Striking would be me biggest weakness.”

“As far as where I’m going to train? That one I’m not sure about,” said Punk, who mentioned he has been called out by flyweights, featherweights and several other fighters from different weight classes. “I think surrounding myself with the right people is a very key ingredient to this. I have to find a place where I am comfortable to an extent but I am taken out of my comfort zone if that makes any sense.

“I don’t want to step into a facility where there’s people who have these negative feelings towards me and begrudge the fact that I’ve gotten this opportunity,” the former WWE champion said. “Like I said, I completely understand their point of view, I just don’t need to be training with someone that is going to actively be trying to hurt me.”

CM Punk is still a white belt in BJJ:

“I’ve never even got my blue belt.”

“I train so infrequently with Rener Gracie… It’s just nothing that’s come about. I know that draws a giant target on my face but I welcome that. I kind of tell everybody that I’m a white belt for life anyway.”

There’s a big chance I fall flat on my face on this

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He’s made the jump from the WWE to the UFC. CM Punk joins Jay Onrait on FOX Sports Live to talk about his approach to the Octagon, his training strategy and earning respect: