I’m just going to come out and say it: CM Punk needs to rethink his career choice. Now riding a 0-2 record against two guys who weren’t even close to the top of their respective divisions, it might be time for Punk — aka Philip Brooks — to hang up his MMA gloves.
Punk took on Mike Jackson (who interestingly, was also suffering from a 0-1 record at the hands of Mickey Gall) in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
The CM Punk chants started right away in the former WWE Champion’s home arena. Punk came in with a leg kick. He then charged in and pressed Jackson against the cage.
The crowd started its chants again.
The two separated. Brooks came in with a one-two, but Mike came in with some shots of his own, faking with the left then coming in with a left-right.
Again, Punk pressed his opponent against the cage, but Jackson turned the tables on him. Brooks landed some knees and then went in for a double leg, but couldn’t get anything.
Jackson threw a one-two at Punk, but Brooks came back with a front kick.
Punk bled from his nose. He was able to finally land a takedown, though, with less than a minute to go. He wasn’t able to hold Jackson down, though, and after the two got back to their feet, Jackson cracked Punk with some body shots before the round ended.
ON THE ATTACK!@CMPunk shows the aggression early on PPV. #UFC225 pic.twitter.com/uV75aycNkd
— UFC (@ufc) June 10, 2018
A touch of the gloves started Round 2. Punk landed a front kick to the body on Jackson, then pressed him against the cage. Mike turned the tables on him, though, then broke away. Jackson landed a big right hand that stunned Punk. For a second, it looked like the fight was over, but Punk went for a guillotine attempt and the fight went to the ground.
Jackson looked relaxed in Punk’s guard, landing some shots without even looking at Punk and even showboating. Brooks was busted up.
Mike continued to take his time punching Brooks. At one point, Punk looked like he could have gotten a triangle, but Jackson broke away.
Punk made no attempt at pulling Jackson down or sweeping him. He clearly had no idea what he was doing on the ground. The color commentators said the former WWE Champion was in “serious 10-8 territory.”
Another touch of the gloves started the third and final round. Punk clinched and once again pushed Jackson against the cage, and again Mike pummeled under and turned the tables on Punk.
Brooks shot in with a double leg, but couldn’t get anything. At one point, he looked like he almost fell over. The fight went to the ground, but Jackson stood up.
Punk was out of breath, struggling to throw punches. Jackson, on the other hand, was relaxed and toyed with his opponent. Joe Rogan joked that someone might have paid Mike Jackson to keep the fight going, considering he could have ended the fight long ago.
With two minutes left, Punk looked like he could barely stand up. Brooks tried to roll into a knee bar and curled up into a fetal position while trying to hold on to Jackson’s head. Mike punched away from the back, then when Punk rolled to his back, he smothered Punk from half guard. Punk rolled to his knees as the crowd booed. As the final round wound down, there was no question as to who was coming out of that fight with his hand raised.
