MILWAUKEE- Many trieš d, but few were able to succeed in a transitišon between WWE the way Brock Lesnar did, and CM Punk took note.Ā
Lesnar made hiš§s professional debut in 2007 and in only his second professional fight, made his UFC debut at UFC 81 in Feb. 2008 against Frank Mir.Ā In only his fourth career fight, LesnarĀ stopped Randy Couture at UFC 91 in Nov. 2008 to become the UFC heavyweight ź¦”champion.Ā
No one else had made the jump from the world of sports entertainment š²to the Octagon since Lesnar. Untiź¦ l now.
Former WWE champion CM Punk announced in Dešŗcember ofĀ 2014 that he had a signed a deal with the UFC, even though he had no prior training or fight exšperience. HeĀ will be making his long awaitedĀ UFC debut at UFC 203 against Mickey Gall.Ā
LesnarĀ returned to WWE in 2012Ā after retiring from the UFCą¶£ after his loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141Ā through mutual friend and Lesnar associate, Paul Heyman, where he crossed paths with then-wrestling superstar Punk.Ā After a four-year hiatus, LesnarĀ returned to the UFC to face Mark Hunt at UFC 200. "The Beast Incarnate" controlled the fight and won by ušŗnanimous decision. Then, it all went downhill for Lesnar.
Shortly after the fight, it was revealed LesnarĀ had failed his pre-and post-fight drug tests forĀ hydroxy-clomiphešÆne whichĀ stymies the production of estrogen to stimulate natural testosterone production. It is commonly used as post-cycle therapyš for those coming off of anabolic steroids.
š¦Punk, real name is Phil Brooks lives the straight-edge lifestyle -- no drugs, tobacco or alcohol. While heĀ thought Lesnar looked great against Hunt, PunkĀ wasn't happy though with the aftermath ofĀ seeing a failed drug testĀ happen to someone he's friendly with.
"I think it sucks," Punk told Fightful during his UFC 203 Media Day.Ā "I do. I get tested by USADA all the time and Iām the drug free kid and ź¦æI still get nervous (laughs). Itās like when you are driving on the highway and the copās behind you and youāre like, āOh I wasnāt speeding anšd my taillights arenāt outā.
"I like what they are doing with the sport. That whole thing bums me out. He came back. He fought an impressive fight, he won and he fails a test. It bums me out. It bums me out whenš³ anyone fails a test."
Since Lesnar faią·“led the test, Punk was lumped in with the fellow pro-wrestler, and the subsequent 'steroid' stereotype.Ā The Chicago native debunkedĀ theĀ myth and turned the table on the matą± ter.
"Look at me and look at the guys who have failed tests," Punk said.Ā "Iām the skinny, fat kid from Chicago. I donāt think it reflects on me at all. If it reflects on meā, itās because Iāmā a fighter in the UFC."
When Punk first announced his new mixed martial artsĀ venture, one of the first people he reached out to was Lesnar. Since then, Punk hasn't heard from Lesnar,Ā and thinks it's due to embattled star moving to the middle of nowhere in Canaļ·½da.Ā
"Nah," Punk said.Ā "He reached out and offered his help and support. He gave me the thumbs up and said reach out if you have stupid questions, go aheadā and ask me. He lives in the middle of nowhere, like in Saskatchewan. I think I texted him once and it bounced back to me right away. I didnāt expect him to get back to me right away. Heās like combining on the faą¶£rm somewhere."
Lesš®narĀ returns to the WWE on SeptemberĀ 24 at a WWE live event in a Summerslam rematch against Randy Orton.Ā UFC 203 takes place Saturday from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The venueĀ was the last time Punk made an appearanceĀ under the WWE umbrella.Ā at main event features Stipe Miocic defending the UFC heavyweight title against Alistair Overeem.Ā