Mixed martial arts and pro-wrestling star Bobby Lashley believes that new UFC signing CM Punk will upset those who want to see him fail inside the cage.
TNA heavyweight champion and Bellator MMA fighter Lashley was speaking to MM after visiting Manchester on Friday as part of the seventh TNA Maximum Impact Tour of the UK.
Phil ‘CM Punk’ Brooks is the latest pro-wrestling superstar to try his hand at MMA but many professional fighters have scoffed at the former WWE champion’s plans to compete in the cage.
However, Lashley , who holds a professional MMA record of 12-2, expects Punk to surprise many of his critics.
Lashley said: “What I believe is, it’s going to be a really good thing and the reason it’s going to be a good thing is because when you’re a successful person, you learn the model of being successful.
“Once you’ve learned that model of being successful, you can use that and transition into anything you want, and everything he does now is going to be successful.
“He’s going to be in the UFC and he’s going to surprise a whole bunch of people and I think he’s going to beat people who he’s ‘not supposed to beat’. He’s here to fight, I know he’s training his a** off and he’s really going to prove to people that he’s here to do martial arts and that he’s not just there as someone who wants to live off the glory of the UFC.”
Lashley was forced to withdraw from a scheduled February rematch against Rochdale fighter James Thompson, the last man to defeat the American, due to injury.
The 38-year-old still expects the two will meet in the Bellator cage later this year but his ambitions extend far beyond settling the score with an old rival.
Lashley added: “Yes, I will definitely get a chance to avenge that loss. It’s not really about revenge, it’s just about beating him.
“I have a contract in front of me right now for Bellator and I’m looking forward to that. We’ll sign this contract and this year I hope I’ll be fighting for the world title.”
Image courtesy of UFC via YouTube, with thanks.
