CM Punk’s UFC debut delayed; must undergo back surgery today

When CM Punk (0-0) announced that he had signed with the UFC back in December of 2014, I don’t think anyone, including Punk himself, thought we wouldn’t see him debut until late 2016. Unfortunately, due to a lingering back injury that will require surgery, Punk’s spring debut against Mickey Gall (2-0) has been delayed.

MMAFighting‘s Ariel Helwani broke the news earlier reporting that Punk will undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc in Chicago today. Punk’s mixed martial arts debut was all but set in stone after Gall beat Mike “The Truth” Jackson in a “CM Punk qualifier” of sorts this past weekend in Las Vegas.

“This is just a bump in the road,” Punk told Helwani. “I’m positive about this.”

Punk’s recovery time is estimated to be between 4-6 weeks. From there he’ll have to get back into fighting shape and restart his camp; if all goes well there’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to fight in the fall. Whether or not he’ll be fighting Mickey Gall or a completely new opponent remains to be seen.