CM Punk's UFC debut: Former WWE star could fight Mickey Gall at UFC 200

UFC president Dana White may have finally found the opponent for former WWE superstar CM Punk in the latter’s MMA debut set this year.

White started his new “Lookin’ For A Fight” series on UFC Fight Pass and YouTube in an attempt to search for Punk’s first opponent in the Octagon. In the first episode of the series, White revealed he was interested in a fighter named Mickey Gall, who called out Punk on Twitter, saying he would love to welcome the former WWE champ in the world of MMA.

Gall, who has been training with UFC veterans Jim and Dan Miller, competed in his first professional MMA fight in the main event of the Dead Serious 17 in Philadelphia, which will be featured in White’s new reality series. The 23-year-old welterweight, who won his MMA debut via first-round submission, said he has not heard anything from White yet, but hopes he would be given the chance to step in the Octagon with Punk.

"I haven’t heard from Dana White. I’m hoping,” Gall told MMA Fighting. “My phone’s been blowing up with websites posting how I’m probably going to be his opponent. I only hope.”

There is no confirmation from White yet if Punk and Gall would happen, although the UFC president has promised that the former WWE Superstar will debut in 2016. According to Matt Boone of MMA News, there is a belief that White has already decided on Punk vs Gall and are simply doing an early promotion for both UFC debutants.

Meanwhile, Gall is convinced he could also finish off Punk after his impressive win at the Dead Serious 17 event. Gall said he is better than Punk in overall skills and predicted he would finish off the latter swiftly if they ever meet in an MMA fight.

“I would either knock him out or if he does something silly I can choke him out,” Gall told Sports Illustrated’s Cage Pages. “It will be a finish for sure. I will finish CM Punk in one round.”