CM Punk chuckled upon hearing that Seth Rollins challenged him to a mixed martial arts fight in the UFC. This happened before their highly anticipated triple threat match at WrestleMania 41 on Saturday.
Punk, who previously competed in the UFC twice, returned to WWE in 2023 after a decade away. He addressed Rollins` challenge, which came after Rollins stated he would train in MMA specifically to settle his differences with Punk in a cage fight. Despite having no formal MMA training, Rollins claimed he would undergo a full training camp for the chance to fight Punk for real.
Rollins admitted that fighting Punk in the UFC might be a one-off for him, stating he wouldn`t want to face other fighters in his weight class. He encouraged Dana White, the UFC president, to organize the fight for financial gain.
The animosity between the two WWE stars is well-known. However, Punk suggested that if Rollins wants a fight, he doesn`t need to look further than their upcoming match in Las Vegas.
Punk, speaking on The Ringer Wrestling Show, stated he intends to punch Rollins on Saturday. He acknowledged Rollins` desire for an MMA fight and invited him to their WWE match as a taste of what`s coming.
Punk famously signed with the UFC in 2014 after leaving WWE initially and debuted in the octagon two years later. He lost his debut to Mickey Gall by submission and then lost a decision to Mike Jackson in his second MMA fight in 2018. However, Jackson`s win was overturned due to a positive marijuana test.
While Punk remains an MMA enthusiast, even expressing sympathy for Diego Lopes after his UFC 314 loss to Alexander Volkanovski in the same interview, he is now fully focused on his professional wrestling career.
Nevertheless, Punk maintains close relationships with former MMA training partners, including UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, suggesting a future return to MMA isn`t entirely impossible.
Punk expressed his appreciation for his time in MMA and believes being underestimated due to his MMA record is advantageous.
Punk is set to face Rollins and Roman Reigns in a triple threat main event on the first night of WrestleMania 41, a two-night event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this Saturday and Sunday.
