Former two-time WWE champion and current UFC fighter CM Punk is headed to reality television. That news may shock a few wrestling fans, as Punk doesn't really seem like a guy who would be a fan of traditional unscripted TV like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but he never really seemed like a UFC fighter either. Expect to see Punk and more sports stars appearing on the new MTV spinoff series The Challenge: Champs Vs. Pros, as the fighter looks to help out a good cause.
For The Challenge: Champs Vs. Pros, CM Punk (whose real name is Phil Brooks) and other high-profile athletes will take on the top talent from the currently airing The Challenge: Invasion Of The Champions. The six-week event will air next month and will pit some of professional sports' premiere athletes, dubbed the Pros, against the best of the best from The Challenge, the Champs, to compete in events that hit all levels of athletic supremacy. In the end, the top male and female competitors will compete in a final showdown for a chance to win $50,000 for the charity of his or her choice. CM Punk will compete to raise money for PAWS animal shelter in Chicago, which is his home city.
The Challenge: Champs Vs. Pros will be hosted by former New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Victor Cruz, who has been stepping more and more into the world of television production following a brief guest-starring role on HBO's Ballers. Considering his duties are strictly hosting, it's doubtful his participation in the show will have any impact on any NFL team wishing to pick the current free agent up for the 2017-2018 season. Cruz isn't the only NFL pro on the series, however, as the pros lineup consists of a few notable football players. Unfortunately, there are no other UFC fighters or WWE stars for CM Punk to pal around with or rage against, but I'm sure he prefers it that way.
Former NFL linebackers Shawne Merriman and Kamerion Wimbley are just a few of the names that stack the lineup for The Challenge: Champs Vs. Pros. In addition to those two and CM Punk, the "guys" will also have professional snowboarder Louie Vito and Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy. For the women, we have Olympians Lolo Jones and Louise Hazel, professional snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis, professional surfer Tia Blanco, and former WNBA star Candice Wiggins. In total, that's 10 competitors split by gender at 5 apiece. No word on the Champ lineup yet, though, as that will be revealed when The Challenge: Invasion Of The Champions hosts its finale and reunion special on May 9th at 9 p.m. ET.
With CM Punk still searching for a second opponent for his UFC career, and no chance of a WWE return, The Challenge: Champs Vs. Pros may be your best shot at seeing him on television anytime soon. Be sure to mark your calendar for the premiere May 16th at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. If you're looking for some new shows to follow, be sure to check out our midseason premiere guide and summer premiere schedule for all shows premiering and returning.
