‘Don’t ever say you don’t belong’: Watch CM Punk’s pep talk to Mickey Gall at UFC 203
UFC cameras capture the classy moment the defeated former WWE superstar gives Mickey Gall a motivational pep talk after their bout at UFC 203 in Cleveland
THE 's cameras are always rolling on fight night, and capture some golden moments that don't always make it onto the live broadcast.
One such moment came after Mickey Gall had submitted at , when the former WWE superstar gave the man who beat him a post-fight pep talk to encourage him not to undersell himself before fights.
Gall had said pre-fight that he didn't deserve to be on the UFC 203 fight poster, and those comments were clearly in Punk's mind when he grabbed the young prospect after their fight to pass on some advice.
"Listen to me," he told the young star. "Don't ever say you don't belong, OK?
"You always belong. You've got to believe in yourself.
"You're obviously a better man than I am, OK?
"Don't ever short yourself. Everybody else wants to short you.
"You know? I believed in myself. You've got to believe in yourself as much as I believe in me."
It was a classy way for Punk to finish what was ultimately a disappointing night on his mixed martial arts debut.
After the fight, Gall explained what happened when the pair chatted after the bout.
"I thought as MMA purists I thought the veterans should have been there (the poster). While this was kind of a strange fight - combined we had two fights at the time.
"He was just saying 'No, always believe you belong. You do belong'.
"He was just being a nice guy - being motivational.
"He's a superstar, he's a self-made guy. I absolutely believe he has something to offer and it was an honour to fight him."
The full version of the UFC's 'The Thrill and The Agony' review of UFC 203 will be available on UFC Fight Pass in the coming days.
