CM Punk banked a million dollars from UFC debut defeat to Mickey Gall, claims wife AJ Lee
Former WWE star lost in first round in Cleveland at UFC 203
CM PUNK'S felt like a million dollars despite his UFC debut going horribly wrong.
The WWE star suffered a crushing defeat to Mickey Gall in Cleveland last September.
But the blow was softened by the fact the veteran ring star banked a million bucks from his first-round defeat to rising prospect Gall at UFC 203.
Punk's wife AJ Mendez - a former wrestling pro known as AJ Lee - claims that her man trousered a seven-figure sum, with pay-per-view revenue ensuring his pay cheque doubled from the $500,000 he was due from the fight purse.
Lee said: "I don’t think it hurt that for one night of working you get a paid a million dollars."
Punk – real name Phil Brooks – confirmed he would be joining the ranks of the back in December 2014, but a series of injuries during his fight camp held back his debut.
His maiden appearance in the Octagon lasted just two minutes 14 seconds as the former pro-wrestling icon left fans speculating on his fighting future just moments after it had begun.
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He entered the arena to a rapturous reception as he walked out to his WWE walkout music, Living Colour’s ‘Cult of Personality’.
But Gall took control, taking the former WWE superstar to the mat and battering him with strikes while looking to lock up a fight-ending submission.
The Chicago native hung in there gamely for a short while, but jiu jitsu brown belt Gall stayed calm, worked an opening and locked up a rear-naked choke to force the 37-year-old to tap out.
Punk is now being lined up for a fight with Jason David Frank, who played Tommy Oliver - the green Power Ranger - in the original line-up of the hit kids show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers between 1993-1995.