During the UFC 181 pay-per-view broadcast on the weekend, it was announced that former WWE star Phil ‘CM Punk’ Brooks had signed a multi-fight agreement with the organisation.
He is expected to make his debut sometime in 2015.
The reactions to the news were quite mixed. UFC bantamweight Russell Doane tweeted that Punk is an unproven commodity being given a shot at the big leagues.
Popular Brit Michael Bisping challenged Punk in a way that only Bisping could, while perennial UFC outsider and former Olympian Ben Askren was irate that a “fake wrestler” was signed ahead of him.
So really, what does signing CM Punk mean for the UFC?
On the surface this signing brings up the commonalities thought of by many between the UFC and the WWE. It’s no secret that the UFC has tried for years to shed any resemblance to pro wrestling. Dana White and company would rather be compared to the NBA than Vince McMahon.
With this in mind, it seems counterintuitive for the organisation to sign an 0-0 pro wrestler. But Brock Lesnar did it, right?
From a business standpoint Punk is a big name among pro wrestling fans. Like Lesnar, having his name on a UFC card is sure to generate mainstream interest and bring in new fans eager to watch the performer fight for real.
The UFC is still starved for a star among the current roster. They’re trying to push fighters like Conor McGregor to the point of contrived celebrity. Perhaps they’re hoping that the charismatic Punk can become a face for the organisation.
Like any professional sports league, the UFC is a business first and foremost. While the organisation has done a great job of showcasing the world’s best fighters, at the end of the day it’s all about the bottom line. This move proves just that.
Still, the complaints of Askren and Doane aren’t unfounded. It reflects poorly on MMA when a celebrity without a professional (or even amateur) record is brought into the sport’s biggest league while lesser-known names have to toil for years to get there.
With that said, what about the sporting implications?
I had my doubts when Brock Lesnar was first signed in 2008. Hindsight would dictate that his stint as the UFC heavyweight champion wasn’t a bad run. He also raked in boatloads of cash for both himself and the UFC. His was a wager that paid dividends.
Then again, Lesnar and Punk are entirely different cases. Lesnar possessed an incredible collegiate wrestling pedigree and was an NFL prospect before going into the UFC. He even held a 1-0 record prior to his Octagon debut. He was a legitimate competitor who made a brief pit stop into the world of theatrics.
Punk is a long-time fan of the sport and has trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family but nothing from the 36 year-old’s past indicates any athletic skill that would carry over into MMA.
In contrast to Lesnar, an over-the-hill boxer in James Toney was thrown in the deep end at UFC 118 when he made his MMA debut against Randy Couture. Sure, the style versus style nature of the fight brought in some outside interest, but in the end it proved to be little more than an expensive showboat against the boxing world. Not all bets pay off.
To Mr Phil Brooks, I wish him all the best in his endeavours. He seems to be taking the challenge seriously and has always respected the sport. With the right matchmaking, who knows? Maybe he might make a run of it.
For the UFC, it remains to be seen if this gamble for profit and publicity will pay off.
Damien
Roar Guru
Hi Jason, Agree on Conor. Has all the tools, potential etc. Lets see him roll with the big boys Aldo, Edgar, Lamas. So at this point. Hype more than substance..Although the hype is based on his potential & persona. Just heard that Pettis is out for another 6 months !! WTF ?? !! Hurt his hand apparently. At least its not a leg injury which makes it near impossible to train. I can't remember so many Champions getting injured. Aldo, Pettis, GSP (retiring/having a break), Weidman, Bones, and Cain all injured during 2014 and causing havoc to Main Event PPV's. Only Mighty Mouse & Ronda have been safe. The UFC is building great momentum with their UFC Fight Night & UFC on Fox events which are great lead ins to the Main Event PPV's but the injuries to the UFC Champs is really halting that momentum so 2014 somehow feels incomplete. Hopefully 2015 is better year for the UFC Champs..
Jason Tulio
Roar Guru
Hey Damien, Some great insight there. I've never heard anyone describe Askren as perfectly as that! I agree with the injury streak being plain bad luck. I would say the lack of a big star is more just the peaks and valleys nature of professional sport. Older stars retire and it takes time for new talent to shine through. It's a phase more than anything. Agreed with you on Pettis. Hopefully he can fight more often to further expand his fanbase. As for Conor, he certainly has the potential to be a superstar in the near future but at this stage I think the hype far exceeds his achievements.
Damien
Roar Guru
Hi Jason, CM Punk brings alot of eyeballs and attention from the wrestling world but thats no surprise. Ben Askren is like that guy who gets rejected by a chick at a club but can't fathom why and instead of just walking away starts bagging her. It's as if he thinks he can bag his way into the UFC Haha. Askren's a good fighter no doubt and good enough to be in the UFC but there must be some reason why he's not there. Maybe he thinks he's worth more money than the UFC is prepared to pay ? Dana HATED Tito and was no fan of Big Country but they were/are fighting in the UFC. As Dana said there is no human on earth that he hated more than Tito but that didn't stop the UFC giving him fights. "The UFC is still starved for a star among the current roster. They’re trying to push fighters like Conor McGregor to the point of contrived celebrity" I couldn't disagree with you more on this statement. Conor (not the UFC) is pushing himself and the UFC is just riding that wave. I love Conor's schtick. To me he has that feel of destiny about him. Have you noticed the way he carrys himself in any media he does when he's wearing his suit. Watch the way he answers questions, stands and even holds the mike. Conor's doing it like a BOSS !. I believe he (Conor) will be the biggest UFC PPV star by the end of 2015. The UFC is just going through some bad luck with injuries. Cain, Jones, Weidman, Spider etc haven't had much luck and when you add in Showtime that alot of star power on the sidelines. I'm sure you would have know that Pettis became the first MMA fighter to make it onto a Wheaties Box . Thats huge. I remember Wayne Bennett wondering when there will be a NRL player to make it on the Milo tin. Pettis & Conor will be the biggest stars by the end of 2015 IMO...
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Useful info!
David
Guest
Christopher Jan Benitez
Guest
Just to put some perspective in the acquisition, Punk was featured in the Art of Wrestling podcast in which he aired his side about his departure from WWE. The audio interview was huge because it exposed how he received his walking papers from the company on his wedding day and how he was not receiving fair medical attention to his numerous ailments and injuries. The news was picked up by major outlets and is still being talked about up to this day, which is why it's easy to interpret this move by the UFC as the way to drum up interest to their company.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Well written Jason. Fascinating move by the UFC. They are battling for star power - they're doing ok with local territory fighters (guys like Mark Hunt for Australia/NZ) but there isn't someone that's must watch, simply for the show. I hope we can presume that this hasn't simply all just happened for CM Punk, and that he's been training for, at least, months if not a year or two already. Surely he'll be given a first fight against someone who can be beaten, but it's hard to generate much hype if he's fighting a nobody. @AZ_RBB - I'm sure he'll be able to cut a heap of water weight, if only because the UFC gives him the top of the line coaching and nutrition. Who knows! It's got us talking UFC, that's for sure.
AZ_RBB
Guest
WWE has him billed at 99kg. He is tipped to debut at welterweight or middleweight which is 77-84kg. I know MMA fighters lose weight drastically fairly frequently but I'll be interested to see what sort of impact significant weight loss has on CM Punk. Remembering his body is already 36 and put up with a decade of pro wrestling. I imagine he doesn't have the ability or strength to compete at light heavyweight.
Paul
Guest
It'll be interesting for him to fight in a comp where the punches are real and trash talking can only get you so far....
Isaac Nowroozi
Roar Guru
I think a lot of people will tune in to see him fight. Will be interesting to see how he goes.