CM Punk talks transition into UFC

Last December, former WWE champion CM Punk announced during UFC 181 that he would be transitioning to MMA. He's expected to debut for the largest MMA company in

Last December, former WWE champion CM Punk announced during UFC 181 that he would be transitioning to MMA. He's expected to debut for the largest MMA company in the world later this year.

Punk recently discussed his move with TMJ4 in Wisconsin, explaining that MMA is something he always wanted to do.

“I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody this," Punk told Lance Allan in an exclusive interview on TODAY'S TMJ4. "If you watch NASCAR and you want to race in NASCAR, but you give yourself every excuse why in the world not to do it. I have a 9 to 5 job, a wife, kids, I can’t afford it. Too expensive. And then you eliminate all that and just go after what you want to go after. That’s just something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, has already started training for his debut with the RoufuSport camp in Milwaukee alongside UFC Lightweight Champion and Milwaukee native Anthony Pettis, among other fighters.

"I think everybody who runs most of the camps are wise to the fact that (me competing in UFC) is good for the sport," Punk said. "If I thought I would've been sacrificing quality by coming here, just because it's 90 minutes away, I would've gone somewhere else."

CM Punk left the professional wrestling world in January 2014, departing WWE following disagreements with Vince McMahon and other members of management within the company. 

- Jack Jorgensen