UFC welterweight Lorenz Larkin explains why he hopes CM Punk loses at UFC 203
It has been nearly two years since CM Punk announced he was taking his talents from the WWE to UFC and we're finally less than two months from his scheduled debut.
Much of the hype behind Punk's debut stems from intrigue on whether the former WWE superstar can make the transition to MMA, while others simply want to see the new UFC welterweight fall flat on his face.
Add welterweight Lorenz Larkin to the list of those who aren't buying into Punk's latest gimmick.
"I would hope that he loses," Larkin told TMZ Sports. "I can't just go and be like, 'Hey, I want to join the (expletive) Baltimore Ravens. I want to be on the Patriots.' I can't just jump on and be like, 'I'm going to play football, and I'm going to be in the NFL.' So it's like the same type of thing. You can't just jump in.
"We're supposed to be the cream of the crop -- we're supposed to be like the NFL of fighting. So it's like, no normal guy could jump out and be on an NFL team. So what the hell is the difference?"
Technically, Larkin could say he wanted to play football and earn an NFL tryout if there was a team willing to give him a shot. But those opportunities are saved for the world's best athletes.
What Larkin really means is that there are levels to this sport, just like all professional sports. You'll be hard-pressed to find an NFL player with no experience on the college level. And much more hard-pressed to find a college football player with no experience on the high school level.
"He's never fought a day in his life ... [The WWE stuff] is cool, but if I go over there, I'm going to suck and vice versa, if he comes over here, he's going to suck."
There have been rumors that Punk has not progressed as fast as he'd need to and that, coupled with multiple injuries, has pushed back his debut. But now he officially has a date, Sept. 10, and an opponent in Mickey Gall, a 25-year-old welterweight with two professional fights.
Expectations are currently low for the Punk, but if he happens to come out of UFC 203 victorious, Larkin wants no part of the former WWE superstar. Mainly because he wouldn't want to blow the UFC's insurance budget.
"I don't think the UFC has enough insurance to cover that fight." Larkin said. "It's like me going heads up with Marshawn Lynch, with pads on. He's gonna run me over."
