CM Punk’s UFC debut is going to have to wait even longer.
MMAFighting.com reported Wednesday the former pro wrestling star was set to undergo back surgery to fix a herniated disc. According to Punk — whose real name is Phil Brooks — the injury stems from his wrestling days and has recently gotten worse.
“My back has always bugged me,” Punk told MMAFighting.com. “Figured it was just wrestling (expletive). Turns out it was.
“It got bad enough to the point where I couldn’t do anything the week before I went to train with the New Jersey Devils last month. One day I could manage, the next day I couldn’t. I’ve been in agony for almost a month. Chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, cryotherapy … nothing worked.”
He also insisted the injury is “just a bump in the road.”
The news comes just days after Punk’s first opponent was revealed. He’ll face Mickey Gall in his debut fight, though the exact date of that bout is unclear, especially now with Punk’s surgery.
The injury bug just hasn’t left Punk alone since he declared he’d be trying his hand at MMA following an abrupt departure from WWE in 2014. He also suffered a shoulder injury last year that set him back.
Thumbnail photo via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
