Dana White On CM Punk: ‘He’s One Of The Easiest People I’ve Ever Dealt With’

“I texted him that night after he walked out in Chicago”

Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Every week, this column offers insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.

Dana White on CM Punk: “I’ve had nothing but a great relationship with him since the day we met”

CM Punk’s return to WWE caught Dana White’s attention.

After a nine-year absence, and a long, bitter feud between the two sides, Punk made a shocking return to WWE this past Saturday at Survivor Series.

“I texted him that night after he walked out in Chicago,” said White. “It was amazing. I texted and congratulated him, it was incredible.”

Punk followed that up on Monday with a show-ending promo on Raw that continues to generate loads of discussion. Despite the flurry of excitement, the prevailing point of view in wrestling is that Punk will be on a short leash with WWE. This is due to his acrimonious exit in 2014, which left both sides resentful–WWE sent Punk his termination papers on his wedding day–as well as a memorable-but-controversial run more recently in All Elite Wrestling.

After a tumultuous run in the company, Punk was fired from AEW in September by AEW CEO Tony Khan.

A Deeper Look at CM Punk’s Dismissal from AEW

That led to a scene when Khan went on the air during AEW programming to reveal how Punk threatened his physical safety, which occurred in the moments before the All In pay-per-view began at Wembley Stadium this past August. Months have passed, but Punk has yet to reveal his side of the story.

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

Yet while Punk seems to be awash in controversy, White offers an altogether different perspective.

“I’ve had nothing but a great relationship with him since the day we met,” said White, who is the UFC CEO–which operates under the same parent company, Endeavor, as WWE. “He’s a super nice guy. He’s one of the easiest people I’ve ever dealt with.”

Nearly a decade ago, Punk made headlines by signing with the UFC. That led to “Cult of Personality” blasting over UFC loudspeakers before Punk’s Octagon debut in September of 2016. Punk lost that bout to Mickey Gall by submission, then lost by unanimous decision to Mike Jackson in June of 2018 in a bout that was later overturned to a no-contest after Jackson tested positive for marijuana.

As Punk was preparing for the fight against Jackson, which took place at UFC 225, he was deeply enthralled in a serious lawsuit against WWE doctor Chris Amann–who sued Punk and Colt Cabana for roughly $4 million in damages for disparaging remarks that he believed were accusations of medical malpractice.

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

A jury ruled in Punk’s favor just five days before his fight at UFC 225. Throughout it all, Punk remained professional, leaving a lasting impression upon White. Punk also trained with the renowned Duke Roufus and his team at Roufusport, winning over a highly respected group with his dedication and devotion to mixed martial arts.

“Look, those were tough fights,” said White. “You know what else is important? Everybody that he trained with and everybody around him in his camp respected him. That spoke volumes.”

Courtesy WWE

White is thrilled that Punk reunited with WWE. He does not anticipate any problems, believing that Punk is now part of the engine that will captivate fans across the globe and lead WWE to even greater success.

“Do I give my blessing?” said White. “100 percent. I love the guy.”

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Beneil Dariush seeking to reclaim contender spot in lightweight division

Not that long ago, Beneil Dariush was considered next in line for UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

Dariush had rattled off eight straight victories before fighting Charles Oliveira in June. That bout was effectively for the right to become the number-one contender, and Oliviera dominated the bout, winning by TKO in the first round.

Since then, Dariush (22-5-1) has become just another name among a crowded top ten. He looks to change that on Saturday in the main event of a loaded Fight Night card against the talented Arman Tsarukyan.

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

Tsarukyan (20-3) has won seven of his last nine. His most recent defeat was handed to him by Mateusz Gamrot last December, an elite fighter that Dariush defeated with relative ease in October of 2022. The other loss for Tsarukyan was suffered against Makhachev back in 2019, a Fight of the Night performance that went all three rounds before Makhachev won by unanimous decision.

The top of the division is held by Makhachev, and he is being chased by Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. But the winner of this Dariush-Tsarukyan bout will also thrust himself right into the title mix, adding a new name to the list that could potentially dethrone Makhachev and become lightweight champion.