CM Punk couldn’t help but laugh after learning that Seth Rollins had called him for an MMA fight in the UFC ahead of Saturday’s triple threat match at WrestleMania 41.
After a decade away from the promotion, the two UFC fighters who returned to WWE in 2023 spoke to the callout after Rollins admitted to training MMAs just to resolve differences with cage punks. Although Rollins does not have an official martial arts background, he has promised to put in full training camp for the opportunity to face Punk in real battles.
“It could be just me, but you put me there along with one of the others in my weight class, I’m out,” Rollins said. “But Dana (white), you want to make money and book it, brother.”
The silly shared between the two WWE superstars is well documented, but if Rollins wants to fight, Punk says he has to watch more than the match in Las Vegas.
“Look, I’ll punch this mother*cker in my face on Saturday,” Punk said. Ringer Wrestling Show. “He wants to fight MMA. It’s okay, see the kids on Saturday. Welcome to hell.”
Of course, Punk signed with the UFC in 2014 after his first exit from WWE, and ultimately made his debut two years later. He ultimately suffered a loss filed with Mickey Gull in his debut, and dropped Mike Jackson’s decision in 2018 in the second and final MMA fight, but the results were overturned after Jackson tested positive for marijuana.
Punk remains an avid MMA fan, but he actually sympathized with the feelings Diego Lopez faced after his defeat to Alexander Volkanovsky in UFC 314 in the same interview – he now has full attention to his career in professional wrestling.
That said, Punk remains intimate with many of his previous training partners, including UFC welterweight champion Beral Muhammad.
“I’m really grateful for my time at MMA,” Punk said. “I’m really grateful that everyone can see it and underestimate me. I think that’s the most amazing thing in the world.”
Punk will catch the first event of the two-night WrestleMania 41 event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday, and will get Rollins and Rome reign when they meet in a triple threat match.