Daniel Cormier makes a bold prediction about CM Punk's future with the UFC
Former WWE superstar CM Punk desperately wanted to try his hand at professional mixed martial arts, but the result didn't go his way after he barely lasted two minutes with Mickey Gall at UFC 203.
Afterwards, UFC president Dana White said that it's probably best if Punk gets more experience outside the Octagon before returning to the big leagues for his next fight.
Punk has received some praise for being willing to step into the cage for his first fight on the biggest stage in the sport while others have bashed the former professional wrestler for competing in the UFC with zero experience while making a half a million dollars to get tapped out in the first round.
As far as his own feelings on the matter, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier spoke to Punk just days after his loss to Gall and says that no matter how much he wanted to fight, the result still sours the experience.
"I talked to Phil this morning, I talked to CM Punk and he told me that it wasn't successful because he lost," Cormier said on "UFC Tonight". "Looking at it, I'm saying to myself how many people actually put themselves out there to be judged in that way? No experience, he really does not know what he is doing and he got put in there with a guy that is very good at fighting.
"For me, great job going out there and doing what you set out to do but happy that he is upset that he didn't get the 'W'."
Cormier saw the fight between Punk and Gall as a mismatch considering where the two fighters were in terms of skill level.
Gall is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and he's been training to fight for the past eight years while Punk was a complete novice with barely a year and a half of actual preparation to get ready for his MMA debut.
The obvious difference in experience showed up huge as Gall just steam rolled Punk in the first round.
"I think Mickey Gall's going to be really good," Cormier said about the 24-year old prospect from New Jersey. "I do believe whenever this is all said and done, we won't talk about Mickey Gall, the guy that beat CM Punk, we'll just talk about Mickey Gall, the guy who is a top 10 fighter, a good welterweight or maybe a great welterweight."
As for Punk, Cormier believes the 37-year old MMA newcomer will eventually fight in the UFC again but he won't end up there just based on his superstar status as a former WWE wrestler.
Cormier sees Punk going out and winning some fights outside the UFC before returning to the Octagon where he predicts he will finally get the victory he so desperately wanted the first time around.
"Yes, I do think he'll fight again in the UFC in time," Cormier said. "In a couple of years, maybe he'll fight some regional fights, then he comes back, he'll be 40 years old at that time.
"But I think he'll come back and when he comes back, he will win a UFC fight and then the journey can be complete."
