Former WWE star CM Punk has had his long awaited UFC debut pushed back as the 37-year-old is set to undergo back surgery.

His debut fight against Mickey Gall which was set to take place at either UFC 199 or 200 has been delayed after Punk cited a "lingering" back injury that will force him into surgery. 

Surgery

Punk believes his injuries may have happened from his previous wrestling days (image: bleacherreport.com)
Punk believes his injuries may have happened from his previous wrestling days (image: bleacherreport.com)

The news was actually revealed before the Gall fight which saw him successfully defeat opponent Mike Jackson in Las Vegas. 

Punk waited until now to break the news saying his back has "always bugged me" as he believed it was just "wrestling s**t" the former WWE star has often blamed the company for his underlying heath issues in the past.

He said "One day I could manage, the next day I could not" the Chicago born man revealed he has been in "agony" claiming he has undergone "Chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, cryotherapy" but "nothing worked."

The surgery for a suspected herniated disc will see him undergo the knife on Wednesday leaving his UFC debut in doubt. 

Previous Injuries

The back injury is just one of a host of injuries the retired wrestler has suffered in recent years, in 2015 he suffered a shoulder injury forcing him to ease off training for a number of weeks. 

The veteran is becoming very injury prone and despite being with the company since 2014, has never competed once and with this recent delay it will keep fans waiting even longer.

Punk's estimated time out will be four to six weeks with possible added recovery time but the former 'Straight-edged' superstar believes he is likely to fight at least once during 2016. 

Gall Replies

Photo: @mickeygall
Photo: @mickeygall

His scheduled opponent Mickey Gall took to Twitter in an effort to clarify the situation, the 24-year-old said in his post Jackson fight regarding fighting Punk that he "gets to beat up a superstar."

The confident youngster wished his opponent a "healthy" and "speedy recovery" before adding "I want you at 100%."

Gall is becoming very focussed on his impending fight and looks willing to wait to get his crack at the former WWE Champion, hinting at a fight at UFC 200 via the hashtag, it may now be the only option once Punk returns from his current injury hell. 

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About the author
Joel Lampkin
Sports Journalist from Chester University, Professional wrestling writer. Contact [email protected]