Mickey Gall may be relatively new to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) scene but he is, apparently, not lacking in confidence.
The newcomer who recently debuted in style, winning via submission, caught the fancy of UFC president Dana White recently and from the looks of it he may be the one to give Punk a rude welcome.
Speaking to Fox Sports recently, Gall promised to defeat Punk in the first round, although he does seem reserved on how he can do so. He is unsure of winning via submission or knockout but is nevertheless confident he can get the job done.
And while his call seems a bit brash, Gall made it clear that he has the utmost respect for the former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star.
"I respect him. I don't really have anything bad to say about him," says Gall in that interview.
And while he may be ready for that match, the question is when Punk will be fully cleared to compete in his first UFC match.
Punk suffered a big blow in late 2015, suffering a shoulder injury that has temporarily shelved his UFC preparations.
He was widely believed to be debuting last December 2015 prior to the injury, but everything was moved back. Although there is no word yet on his condition, there are some who are hoping that the 37-year-old Punk will be ready by the time UFC 200 comes around.
But that also lies on how far he has gone as far as his training with Duke Roufus is concerned.
According to Roufus, Punk has made remarkable headway despite the uncertainty going on in the minds of UFC fans and personalities.
It is believed that the longer Punk is kept out with the injury, the lesser the chances of seeing him inside the Octagon. Roufus, however, begs to differ on those claims and maintains that Punk will indeed make his UFC debut, though he cannot say when.
