Tuesday 13 September 2016 14:16, UK
CM Punk could not hide behind his nickname or entrance music when the harsh realities of his UFC debut struck him in the face. But has he proven himself as a professional fighter?
Phil Brooks couldn't last two-and-a-half minutes in his first pro MMA fight, which just happened to take place in the sport's most heralded cage due to his fame from a previous life in WWE where he was known as CM Punk. His hasty submission defeat to Mickey Gall means there is little evidence of Brooks' ability, and even less reason to see him awarded a second chance.
Twenty-one months have passed since Brooks, recently removed from his WWE obligations, shockingly announced he was the newest member of the UFC's roster despite a flagrant lack of necessary skills. His perceived star power meant the UFC match-makers didn't need to see a copy of his CV when he opted to dramatically change careers.
Time passed but he quietly went about his business inside Roufosport, a top-notch gym that houses current UFC champion Tyron Woodley and former titlist Anthony Pettis. It isn't a place for half-hearted beginners.
Two serious surgeries later on a creaking 37-year-old body, and Brooks' willpower still hadn't dampened. That's when his fighting spirit first impressed but it would count for little unless it reappeared inside the cage.
He was a significant underdog against Gall at UFC 203, an opponent 13 years younger with just two pro fights of his own. But the CM Punk experiment has never been about unearthing a future UFC champion, that was never the point. The drama lay with finding out if WWE's anti-establishment cult hero had the grittiness that he claimed.
The result against Gall fell apart in the opening seconds when Brooks made a clumsy mistake. He sprinted towards his opponent and launched a full-power punch that wasn't set up properly - Gall ducked under it, and put Brooks on his back.
From such a disadvantageous position, in the opening seconds, Brooks warrants a degree of credit for surviving for two minutes. His grappling pedigree was, the rumour mill suggested, his bread and butter but Gall exposed the difference in experience quickly.
The fight eerily resembled the bizarre spectacle of James Toney, the three-weight world boxing champion, when he quickly lost his own UFC experiment. The majestic boxer Toney was out of his depth inside the cage but Brooks has likely stolen his mantle as the UFC's most inadequate competitor of modern times.
Gall wrapped an arm around Brooks' neck and the dream slowly died - but he continued wriggling. His gameness is to be commended, even if he couldn't resist the eventual choke-hold for much longer.
Can CM Punk fight? Not to the required level of a UFC competitor, clearly. But Phil Brooks, stripped of his fame and nickname when the first bell sounded, always claimed this was a nothing more than a personal test. That remains the sole success from this episode that he can cling to.
