Despite previously claiming that the UFC's signing of CM Punk was "horrible for the sport", Nate Diaz appears to have softened his stance on the former WWE wrestler.
Diaz was just one of a chorus of UFC figures (our own Cathal Pendred once among them) who claimed that CM Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, had no place setting foot inside the octagon but recently at UFC 200 the two met and Punk revealed that Diaz actually apologised to him for his comments.
As quoted by Fox Sports, CM Punk said:
UFC 200, I was doing an autograph signing and the guy I was signing the autograph for started, like, pointing behind me and I heard someone, like, yelling my name and I turned around and I was on a riser and Nate Diaz was on the ground and he was like 'hey man come here’
I was like 'what's up?' and he was the nicest fucking guy.
I don't know if he'll get mad and this will ruin the image of Nate Diaz, but he was like 'hey man, I talked some shit before and I don’t know you and I'm sorry’ and he's like, ‘Gilbert (Melendez) and Ronda (Rousey) said that you're a cool dude and they love you’ and I started looking around for the cameras. I was like all right. I thought that was super, super cool of him. Super nice guy.
Still, despite Diaz's endorsement CM Punk will have a lot of people wishing him the worst when he makes his UFC debut (and professional MMA debut) on September 10th at UFC 203 against newcomer Mickey Gall.
Punk, whose pay will be disclosed after the fight, is presumed to be on a very lucrative contract with the UFC, who have come under fire for allowing top welterweight contender Rory MacDonald depart the promotion for their rivals Bellator MMA after being unwilling to match the offer made by Scott Coker's MMA organisation. MacDonald, a former world title challenger, is one of the best fighters in the sport and his departure for economic reasons stands in direct contrast to the contract that CM Punk - a newcomer - has been given.
But, like anything else, MMA is a money-oriented practice and there will be a lot of eyes on CM Punk when he faces Mickey Gall next week. There will be fans on both sides of the court; some hoping that he succeeds and others hoping that he fails. Either way, the UFC have captures lightning in a bottle with CM Punk. Whether or not it lasts beyond one fight is entirely up to him.
