Where Does CM Punk Go From Here?

Well, it’s over. A two-year build up paid off in a pitiful 134 seconds.

It’s didn’t appear CM Punk was affected by the vaunted UFC jitters; he seemed calm and downright jovial heading into the cage. Perhaps he was too happy to be there, but that probably didn’t matter much to the end result. Just as expected, Mickey Gall was far too much Punk. When Punk came out aggressive, Gall changed levels and had Punk heading toward the mat before he could throw his first right hand. Once on the ground, it was as though Punk had only grasped English, while Gall spoke fluent German. Gall showed he was in another league, battering and bloodying Punk before ultimately getting the tap with a rear naked choke.

Although a relative beginner himself, Gall is a significantly more experienced martial artist than Punk. He’s been training steadily for almost half his life and earned his brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. At 24, he’s quicker, faster, and more explosive than the 37-year-old Punk.

After the fight, Punk was clear in his intent to compete again. Since closing the gap between he and an opponent of Gall’s level isn’t a quick fix, going forward he’ll need to fight opponent’s much closer to his level. But before an opponent is decided, Punk promotional future must play out.

“He probably shouldn’t have his next fight in the UFC,” UFC President Dana White told the Fight Network following the bout. Later, White was more noncommittal in answers about the same subject, but Punk’s UFC stint is certainly in jeopardy.

One thing that could help save him is a successful pay-per-view. The only hard numbers available this early would be the UFC’s own iPPV numbers, which they hold close to their chest, but online search numbers are a good indicator of whether a show was a hit or a flop. As of Sunday evening, UFC 203 and related terms were searched more than 1.2 million times on Google. That’s well below the heights Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey fights have reached, but it indicates a strong pay-per-view number.

On the other hand, even proven drawing ability wasn’t enough of a reason for the UFC to keep Kimbo Slice in 2010, and he’d already scored a UFC win.

Based on White’s comments, the most likely scenario is that Punk will soon be seeking employment elsewhere. Saturday’s fight made it clear the UFC would need to bring in low-level talent specifically for Punk, something they agreed to do once, but may not be keen to do 3 times a year.

If the UFC lets Punk go, Bellator should be eager to scoop him up. Bellator President Scott Coker has promoted spectacles similar to Punk in the past and hasn’t cut it out of his repertoire at Bellator. While heading Strikeforce, Coker promoted football great Herschel Walker and gave him two favorable matchups. He also had serious discussions to sign Dave Bautista, a contemporary of Punk’s in WWE, which only fell apart when Zuffa purchased the company.

Despite his one-sided loss to Gall, Punk will still be a drawing attraction, particularly on television, where people’s curiosity levels don’t need to hit $50. Bellator can use Punk as a television attraction and will be more open to bringing in fighters at his level. Whereas the UFC is typically overeager to test fighters against stiff competition, Bellator is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Michael Page, who is unquestionably a high-level fighter taking on athletes well below his caliber, is a prime example of bringing a fighter along arguably too slowly.

Bellator would likely bring Punk along as slowly as he needs, and they would probably be keener to match him with an old legend rather than a legit welterweight. Even if they are in different weight classes, Punk vs. Ken Shamrock seems like the type of fight over which Bellator would salivate. Although the most money for Punk is in the UFC, Bellator should be a happy middle ground for him.

Unless Japan comes calling, a third scenario could see Punk competing on small shows. If the UFC is Punk’s preferred promoter and they release him, he could gain some experience on the smaller circuit before calling Dana White back. A Bellator contact could tie him up and make a UFC return more difficult logistically, there would be no such restrictions if Punk took a few fights on the regional scene. It wouldn’t be anywhere near as lucrative as the UFC or Bellator, but it would allow him to gain the skill and experience he needs to take another crack at a low level fighter on a big show.

Perhaps CM Punk, for all his work ethic, won’t ever make it to the level Mickey Gall is at now. He started extremely late with sparing meaningful martial arts experience beforehand, is no better than an average athlete, and has a fair bit wear and tear on his body. A month away from his 38th birthday, he is not going to get any quicker or stronger. However, he can continue to chip away and hone his skills against fighters closer to his level. He may not do so in the UFC, but there should be plenty of opportunity elsewhere for CM Punk.

Dan Plunkett has covered MMA for 411Mania since 2008. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @Dan_Plunkett.