CM Punk will have UFC debut delayed due to back surgery

Former WWE star CM Punk will not make his MMA debut at UFC 199 or 200 as previously expected, opting to undergo surgery for a herniated disc on Wednesday.

Former WWE star CM Punk will not make his MMA debut at UFC 199 or 200 as previously expected, opting to undergo surgery for a herniated disc on Wednesday, according to MMAFighting.com. 

Punk, 37, says that he has been dealing with the injury since his days as a wrestler and it got to the point where it had to be addressed recently.

“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,” he said. “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.”

Punk is scheduled to make his debut against Mickey Gall (2–0), who recently defeated Mike Jackson by a first-round rear-naked choke.

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Punk signed with the UFC in December 2014. He began his wrestling career in 1999, becoming the WWE World Heavyweight Champion in 2008.