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CM Punk's UFC debut delayed due to back surgery

Mickey Gall beat Mike Jackson on Saturday to earn a shot at becoming the first man to fight pro wrestler turned MMA fighter Phil “CM Punk” Brooks in the UFC.

CM Punk is injured again. (Getty Images)
CM Punk is injured again. (Getty Images)

Most expected Punk’s debut would happen in the summer, potentially at UFC 199 or the historic UFC 200.

Well, not so fast.

CM Punk will not be fighting in the UFC anytime soon, as he is scheduled to undergo back surgery for a herniated disk in Chicago on Wednesday.

“My back has always bugged me,” Punk told MMAFighting.com “Figured it was just wrestling s---. Turns out it was.

“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. 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 says the setback is just a “bump in the road” and he’s sure he will fight before 2016 is over.

The odd footnote to this unfortunate injury is the fact Punk apparently knew about his surgery over the weekend while in Las Vegas doing promotional work for the upcoming Gall fight. Yet, for whatever reason, he decided to keep it to himself and act as if the fight would be going off without a hitch.

Well, there is a hitch, and it’s a big one.

Punk says his injury is similar to the one former heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez had to endure, and he will be recovered in four-to-six weeks. Punk, however, is a former pro wrestler, and back injuries are not only a regular occurrence in the business, they can also be career-enders.

This isn’t the first time Punk’s proposed debut has been delayed. Over the summer, Punk suffered a shoulder injury, putting a halt to his training camp.

At 37, and with an injured shoulder and back (and who knows what else), will we ever actually see the former WWE champion inside the Octagon?

It’s a question MMA fans have been asking ever since Punk signed to the UFC in Dec. 2014, and the answer – now, more than ever – is in doubt.

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Ryan McKinnell is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports Cagewriter blog. Have a tip? Email him or