CM Punk left WWE in a huff just over two years ago and announced in Dec. 2014 that he had signed a multi-fight contract with UFC. Fourteen months later, he has not stepped foot in an octagon to compete, and his upcoming bout looks to be delayed.
Punk (real name Phil Brooks) told MMAFighting.com that he will have surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back and will be unable to train for 4-6 weeks.
The surgery, scheduled for Wednesday in Chicago, comes just four days after Punk's first fight -- a showdown against Mickey Gall -- was made official following Gall's victory over Mike Jackson on UFC Fight Night. UFC president Dana White had not previously announced a date for the fight, though indications were it would be set for the summer.
Punk, 37, claims his back has been "in agony for almost a month" and explains that no treatments he attempted to relieve the pain were successful. The back injury is a lingering one from his wrestling career, which began in 2000. During his time wrestling, Punk was a seven-time world champion and the WWE's longest-reigning heavyweight champion of its modern era.
This is the second time Punk's potential UFC debut has been delayed as a shoulder injury he suffered in the summer of 2015 pushed back his unscheduled first bout.
Punk told MMAFighting.com that he still plans to fight in 2016, though it will be interesting to see if White decides to keep the fight with Gall or schedule a new opponent.
Source: http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on-sports/25479592/cm-punks-debut-in-ufc-delayed-again-due-to-back-injury
Source: http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on-sports/25479592/cm-punks-debut-in-ufc-delayed-again-due-to-back-injury
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