Another injury delays CM Punk’s UFC debut

MANILA, Philippines – The much-awaited mixed martial arts (MMA) debut of former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar CM Punk has been delayed once again due to an injury.

According to a report from MMAFighting.com, CM Punk is scheduled to undergo back surgery in Chicago due to a herniated disc, which is a lingering ailment from his many years on the professional wrestling circuit.

“My back has always bugged me. Figured it was just wrestling sh*t. Turns out it was,” he said. “It got bad enough to the point where I couldn’t do anything the week before I went to train with the New Jersey Devils last month. One day I could manage, the next day I couldn’t. I’ve been in agony for almost a month. [I tried] chiropractor, acupuncture, massage [and] cryotherapy. Nothing worked.”

CM Punk’s first Octagon appearance encountered the same dilemma this past October after being sidelined from training due to a shoulder injury.

CM Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, inked a multi-fight contract with the UFC in December 2014 after his surprising exodus from WWE in January of the same year.

The 37-year-old native of Chicago, Illinois finally had an opponent for his promotional debut when Mickey Gall submitted Mike Jackson with a 45-second rear-naked choke over the weekend.

CM Punk expressed his desire to face Gall at the UFC 200 pay-per-view event in July, but company head honcho Dana White revealed that the organization had been targeting the match-up for UFC 199 in June.

The ex-WWE performer is expected to be on the shelf for 4 to 6 weeks, but he remains optimistic about his current situation.

“This is just a bump in the road. I’m positive about this,” CM Punk stated. – Rappler.com