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UFC 225's CM Punk has the perfect response to fans upset he still uses pro wrestling name

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Phil “CM Punk” Brooks has attempted to distance himself from the pro-wrestling world since he parted ways with the WWE and dedicated himself entirely to MMA nearly four years ago, but he’s keeping his name.

Obviously CM Punk (0-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) isn’t his real name, but it’s the one that’s most recognizable for him in the world of pro wrestling, and now MMA. He said he prefers to go by that moniker, but he’s received some criticism for it.

Punk returns to MMA on Saturday for his second pro bout when he takes on Mike Jackson (0-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC 225, which takes place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago at United Center. The welterweight bout opens the pay-per-view main card following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Punk’s opponent for UFC 225, Jackson, has said he refuses to use the CM Punk name and insists on calling him by his given name, Phil Brooks, at every opportunity. This doesn’t bother Punk, though.

“I think the people, the fans, who are angry that (some) people call me CM Punk or that I use the name CM Punk, they’re the same ones who couldn’t tell you what (Mirko) Cro Cop’s real name is,” Punk said on Wednesday. “(They) call a man ‘Korean Zombie,’ and they refer to Quinton Jackson as ‘Rampage.’ So, what the (expletive’s) the difference? I don’t know.”

Of course the likes of Mirko Filipovic, Chan Sung Jung, Quinton Jackson and many others had their nicknames transformed into common use through long and noteworthy MMA careers, but it’s hard to argue Punk’s point.

For more on UFC 225, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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