PED use does give sports a black eye at times. Sure some try to take the cheap way out. White wanted to see if he could get a repeat of Lesnar $$$. He was gonna go for the money as we know. The NBA itself had high school kids jumping into the sport before they should have. The NFL has let some players who shouldn't be out there way past their primes going. Where they suffer worse concussions etc. MLB had its own age deal where they signed kids from high schools and some thought they'd make it in majors and have to watch themselves set years back.
So the sports business isn't some perfect animal. These leagues make mistakes a lot. Soccer signed a 14 year old kid , put the weight of the world on him and then watched as he failed at the expectations. That is another one. Not perfect.
then it was ego, if not he would've done what fruitista did(xcept fruitista actually fought a pro and didn't get toyed with) and just took a regional fight to test his skills or lack thereof in his case. instead he humiliated himself and became the butt of mma fans jokes.
master of Wimp Lo fighting style
I think Punk was thinking he was gonna win some fights. I doubt if he seriously thought , well I'm gonna become World Champion in UFC etc. I'd say if your gonna fight in MMA you have to have some confidence you can win. But I don't think its pure out ego. Its more...ok I can do this and will show I can win. Because if you think , well I'm gonna lose ...etc you shouldn't do this.