Duke Roufus Offers 1st Glimpse into CM Punk's MMA Training

CM Punk has his work cut out for him as he makes his move from professional wrestler to pro MMA fighter. It could be many months of toil before he emerges feeling prepared to meet his goal.

And if he gets there, it will be under the wing of Duke Roufus, head coach of the Milwaukee-based Roufusport Gym. That is the training home to UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and One FC welterweight champ Ben Askren, among others.

It's been a fairly opaque process for us outsiders. Until Wednesday, that is, when Roufus himself graced us with a photo and a few words on how Punk (nee Phil Brooks) is coming along:

"Punk has some things to work on but he showed a lot of #Potential," read part of Roufus' Instagram post.

Looks like he's concentrating on keeping his hands up and his feet in the right position. That's good. And he's got the shin guards on there. Safety first, safety first.

Though it is anyone's guess when Punk might debut with the UFC or to what extent he will be able to compete with other professional fighters, he will surely get that shot eventually—and under some pretty bright lights.

Marking Punk's first apparent scrimmage, Roufus' post is indicative of a step in the right direction. However, it is uncertain how he will fare in pro MMA. Matt Brown, a UFC welterweight, has said Punk is in for a "big shock" because of the stiff level of opponent Punk is likely to face. Meanwhile, teammate Pettis went on record to assert that Punk is "going to do great in the sport."

Punk, a multi-title holder in the WWE, abruptly and mysteriously retired in 2014 from professional wrestling. A few months later, he announced he would begin training to make a run at a UFC berth. The 36-year-old has said he will fight either at middleweight or welterweight, most likely.

Roufus and Roufusport are known for a particular emphasis on kickboxing. Punk, with an amateur background in wrestling and some hobbyist-level experience with jiu-jitsu, seemed to feel that his striking was his biggest area of need for an MMA fight.

He will certainly receive plenty of guidance in that respect at Roufusport.

In his pro wrestling days, Punk—known for using his real-life straightedge lifestyle as a gimmick both to endear himself to and rile up fans—held the WWE championship for 434 days, the sixth-longest title reign in WWE history.