GONZALES: Punk almost had me there, before showing he’s a total mark for himself

Later, Punk.

Not gonna lie – C.M. Punk had me for a moment in the post-fight presser.  When he broke down, speaking about his wife, I got a genuine sense of sincerity, from a genuine place, and I was touched by his sentiment.

And then he fought through tears explaining how much he disappointed his teammates.  That’s when I started shaking my head.  And laughing hysterically.

C.M. Punk is a total mark for himself.

No one can deny Punk’s ability as a pro-wrestler, which is why I hoped this “belief” that he could be a UFC-caliber fighter was part of the show, something to sell more PPVs.  And then he says that goofy thing about his teammates, like he actually believed the gang at Roufusport believed he would win.

Now that’s funny.

Because they knew he didn’t have a chance.  The reason Mickey Gall kept referring to Punk as a “second-year fighter” is because it’s an archetype, like third-year law student or first-time parent, and the reason these exist is because certain behaviors are so common within the group that they become identifiable and predictable.

In other words, anyone fighting at a high-level gym knew exactly what to expect, and no one was “let down” by anything.  The fact that Punk believed this points less at his disappointment in his performance and more to his hubris, which I why I won’t be tuning in next time he fights.

Not that he cares, and not that I care what he does.  I just don’t like supporting delusional behavior which, in Punk’s case, perpetuates his faulty message that anything is achievable through hard work and belief in oneself. 

Eugene S. Robinson had me rolling during his Knuckle Up show, when he announced his intention to become a jockey and ride in the Kentucky Derby next year.  At 6-2, 210 lbs.  If he dedicates himself with all of his heart, and all of his passion, his dream can come true, right?

For someone as bright as Punk fancies himself to be, I’m afraid he missed the lesson on Survivorship Bias, which explains his error in logic.  Punk thinks that because of his success, his method of hard-work and determination can work for everyone, in any endeavor.  What he fails to consider are the multitudes of others who’ve worked just as hard, and were just as determined, yet still failed miserably.  We only hear from the winners, which creates a false perception of reality.

So instead of seeing himself as an exception (and in pro wrestling, he was an exceptional performer), Punk sees himself as the rule, which is just flat out wrong.  The rules don’t apply to exceptions, amigo, so your methods might not work for us common folk.

We didn’t watch a guy chasing his dream on Saturday night.  We saw a glorified ego trip.  Again, I couldn’t care less if C.M. keeps fighting; dude can do what he wants.  But this is the last time I’ll write about the Punk.

 (Frank Gonzales is a new MMATorch contributor. Look for his column once a week here at MMATorch. Follow him on Twtter @frankieagogo.)