Mike Heck of The SFLC Podcast recently spoke with UFC Welterweight Lorenz Larkin, and during the interview Larkin addresses TMZ Sports comments he made during UFC 200 week regarding CM Punk. Below are some interview highlights, with an h/t to Steve Dunn for the transcription.
Talking about the response he got from his comments about CM Punk on TMZ:
“Nah man, I didn’t think I’d have all these little wrestling freaks after me, dude. Those people are like cults…they’re like…they’re like, I dunno, Mormons., dude, they’re just on me.”
More on CM Punk:
“People just don’t understand dude, it’s like, being a fighter and dedicating your life to something, and then for somebody to just…I get it, he’s famous, I get it, you know, cool…They try to compare him to Brock , and the thing is you can’t compare him to Brock. Brock has a collegiate background, Brock didn’t fight his first fight in the UFC. Brock fought in Japan…and when he came to the UFC they didn’t give that motherfu**er no break! His first fight was Frank Mir! His second fight was Heath Herring…his third fight…was [Randy] Couture, right? Then he fought Shane Carwin, got his ass whooped…like this motherfu**er got thrown in a volcano and climbed out! He had no easy pass…on his fighting career, I respect Brock. He proved himself. But for somebody who has no collegiate nothing, and hasn’t [done] any type of combat sport…I look at the UFC like it’s the NFL, and this is like the biggest promotion there is out there….I take fu**ing pride in that, I think all fighters should take pride in that…So for somebody just to not even get one fight, just to have his first fight in the UFC, it’s like, it just waters down what the f**k I do. I’m finally proud when people are like, “Yeah, what do you do?” I fight in the UFC! I can take pride in that shit. But not if someone has…no fights and they just jump in…I have teammates…that are fu**ing struggling. Struggling working a job, fu**ing working everyday, and then coming to the gym struggling…and that are good, who want to be in the UFC, that really wanna make it in fighting, and they don’t get shots unless it’s like last minute…there’s fu**ing guys out there who are HUNGRY, and they have talent. When you see shit like that [CM Punk], like come on man. I don’t give a sh*t if you’re famous or not.”
When asked if he respects CM Punk for having the courage to step into the octagon:
“Hellllll no man!…The thing is, I’ve been to fights (at smaller regional shows)…I’ve seen guys there get paid 50 bucks to fight a beast…anybody will take that fight (against Mickey Gall)…I can name off a lot of guys who would take the fight.”