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Former pro wrestler turned mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, CM Punk, had his first officials "scrimmage" last week at Roufusport, his new fight camp.
And he did pretty well, according to head trainer Duke Roufus. But what really impressed the former kickboxer, was the fact that Punk, real name Phil Brooks, turned out to be a natural striker.
More importantly, however, was the fact that he didn't panic once he got thrown into the fire. And as he told The MMA Hour, Punk also has a good attitude and proves he is no stranger to hard work.
"He's putting his work in, he shows up every day. He has a great attitude. He didn't become successful in the WWE by accident. It's because he was a worker and he was a value to the organization, not only in the front as a face, but in who he is. People get behind people who are easy to work with, and he's so easy to work with. It's awesome. That being said, he came in with Gracie jiu-jitsu. The natural thing he's good at, which makes me happy, is striking. He's a natural striker. When he did a scrimmage last week, he was pretty comfortable in the fire. He didn't freak out, he didn't panic. That's what I'm looking for in new fighters. It's not necessarily skill. You can teach skill, but you can't teach will. Are they going to run and break during a fight, or are they going to get in there and survive the fire? And that's what I was impressed with. I think in time, all his skills are going to advance, but if he has the mindset and the will, he's going to do great."
And the superstar isn't afraid to earn his keep, as Duke says CM mops the mats after each and every practice.
As of today, Brooks still doesn't have an opponent lined up. But, that can all change relatively soon as he is expected to meet with UFC officials this summer to talk business. And if all goes according to plan, we could be seeing the former WWE superstar mixing it up in the welterweight division.
Any guesses as to who CM's first foe inside the Octagon will be?
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