‘Clotheslines don’t translate’: No template for taking on Brooks

As Mickey Gall prepares for his next fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, one of the biggest challenges will be finding tape on his opponent.

It simply doesn't exist.

Gall's victory vaulted him into a matchup later this summer with Phil Brooks. While Brooks is a massive star, he has never competed in mixed martial arts.

Brooks performed in the WWE under the stage name CM Punk and has been preparing in the gym for his UFC debut since signing with the organization in December 2014.

Gall himself had just one professional fight when he was brought in to fight on the UFC Fight Night 82 card at MGM Grand on Saturday against debuting Mike Jackson and was promised the shot against Brooks with a win.

After disposing of Jackson in just 45 seconds, Gall began turning his attention toward Brooks.

"He's a total mystery. All I know is he's been doing pro wrestling, and clotheslines don't translate to MMA," Gall said of the matchup, which is expected to take place in June or July. "I just have to prepare like every fight knowing anything can happen. It's a fight. I won't be able to see his tendencies. I'll probably see something somewhere to know if he's southpaw or orthodox, but it doesn't matter what he's going to do. I'm going to force my game on him and beat him up."

Gall said he won't be starstruck entering the cage. One reason is that he's not much of a fan of the WWE.

"I was when I was young. I was a big Stone Cold Steve Austin fan," Gall said. "Then I like graduated middle school and found other stuff."

Brooks was brought into the cage after Gall's win for a photo op between the future opponents. Gall, 24, said he was able to size him up a bit.

"It was cool," he said. "I wasn't even exactly 100 percent sure what he looked like. He has a beard, so I couldn't tell for certain where his chin is, but I'm going to find it."

Gall said that while he's excited for the opportunity, he's not going to get swept away by the hype that is sure to build over the next few months.

"I respect that dude. He made himself a superstar. It's a big fight for me. I get to beat up a superstar, and that's what I'm going to do whenever the fight is," Gall said. "I have a great support system. Everyone that supports me won't let me get crazy, and I'm not going to get crazy. I care about this too much. I've been working for this since I was 16. I'm 24 now and it's time to go."

The fight is expected to be added to either the UFC 199 card in June on a date and at a venue to be determined or at UFC 200 on July 9 at T-Mobile Arena.

* JONES' RETURN SET — Former UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will make his return to the organization in Las Vegas.

Jones, who was stripped of the title after he was charged in a hit-and-run accident in Albuquerque, N.M., last year, will look to regain the belt against champion Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 197 at MGM Grand on April 23.

The organization announced the event during Saturday night's UFC Fight Night 82 broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

The card will also feature a flyweight title bout between Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo.

Jones defeated Cormier by unanimous decision in January 2015, his last fight before the belt was stripped in April. Cormier went on to win the title in May with a third-round submission of Anthony Johnson.

He successfully defended the title with a split decision over Alexander Gustafsson in October.

According to local reports in Albuquerque, Jones will appear in court Wednesday after he was cited Jan. 31 for driving without a license, registration or insurance.

* ROUSEY'S RETURN — Former UFC women's bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey told TMZ last month she planned to return to competition before the end of the year.

UFC president Dana White believes Rousey will barely beat that deadline.

According to ESPN.com, White said during an appearance on "The Neighborhood" radio show he believes Rousey will fight in November against the winner of the March 5 women's bantamweight title bout between Miesha Tate and Holly Holm.

Holm took the belt from Rousey with a second-round knockout in Melbourne, Australia, in November. White's proposed target date would have Rousey taking almost exactly one year off from competition.

* WEIDMAN'S TITLE REMATCH — Former UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman will get the first crack at the belt he lost to Luke Rockhold.

UFC president Dana White announced Weidman will challenge Rockhold for the title in the main event of UFC 199 in June during a Wednesday appearance on Fox Sports 1's "Garbage Time."

Rockhold took the belt with a dominant performance, culminating in a fourth-round knockout at UFC 194 in December.

Yoel Romero believed he had earned a shot with a split-decision victory over Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza on the same night, but was flagged for a potential doping violation.

Rockhold requested a fight against Vitor Belfort, but he was booked for a main event bout against Souza in May.

No location or date has been announced for UFC 199.

— Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj