CM Punk chuckled upon hearing that Seth Rollins had challenged him to a mixed martial arts fight in the UFC. This callout came ahead of their highly anticipated triple threat match at WrestleMania 41.
Punk, a former UFC fighter who returned to WWE in 2023 after a decade-long absence, addressed Rollins` challenge. Rollins had stated he would train in MMA specifically to settle his differences with Punk in the octagon. Despite lacking a formal martial arts background, Rollins claimed he would undergo a full training camp for the opportunity to face Punk in a legitimate fight.
Rollins admitted that facing Punk in the UFC might be a one-off event, suggesting he wouldn`t be interested in fighting others in his weight class. He even called out UFC president Dana White to organize the fight for financial gain.
The animosity between the two WWE stars is well-known. However, Punk responded to Rollins` challenge by stating that if Rollins wants a fight, he should look no further than their upcoming match in Las Vegas.
“I’m going to punch this guy in the face on Saturday,” Punk declared on The Ringer Wrestling Show. Responding to Rollins` MMA aspirations, Punk added, “He’s talking about wanting to do an MMA fight. Alright, I’ll see you Saturday, kid. Welcome to hell.”
Punk famously signed with the UFC in 2014 after leaving WWE and debuted in the octagon two years later. His first fight resulted in a submission loss to Mickey Gall, and his second MMA fight in 2018 was a decision loss to Mike Jackson. However, this second result was later overturned due to Jackson testing positive for marijuana.
While Punk remains an MMA enthusiast, even expressing sympathy for Diego Lopes after his UFC 314 loss to Alexander Volkanovski in the same interview, his current focus is firmly on his professional wrestling career.
Nevertheless, Punk maintains close ties with his former MMA training partners, including UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, suggesting a potential return to MMA isn`t entirely impossible.
“I really value my time in MMA,” Punk stated. “I really appreciate that everyone can look at that and underestimate me. I think it’s the most fantastic thing in the world.”
Punk is set to face Rollins and Roman Reigns in a triple threat match, headlining the first night of WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday.
