Both MMA and WWE fans eagerly anticipate CM Punk‘s UFC debut, but the build toward his first fight will have a larger bearing on his UFC future than the bout itself.
Punk became one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling partially due to his elite in-ring ability, but even more so because of his unique personality, quick wit, sharp tongue and penchant for selling matches or events on the microphone.
He is arguably among the greatest talkers in wrestling history, and that is something UFC must take full advantage of in order to make him a crowd-drawing star.
As pointed out by his former on-screen advocate and current off-screen friend, Paul Heyman, on UFC announcer Bruce Buffer’s It’s Time podcast (h/t Nick Paglino of Wrestlezone.com), Punk’s gift of gab needs to be accentuated:
If CM Punk comes out of the gate swinging, and he shows the UFC audience exactly why he was such an idolized and revered personality in WWE—and if he gets his hands on a microphone—then I think whatever attraction he could be in that first fight will be doubled by his second fight, because he will then make more UFC fans, and not just crossover WWE fans. If he walks out and gets his face kicked in, and he doesn’t get a chance to talk, and he doesn’t put on a memorable performance than it’s a one-time-only deal.
Punk’s performance in the Octagon isn’t totally insignificant since he still needs to put on a show for the fans. But he can be an attraction whether he wins or loses as long as UFC removes the shackles and allows him to speak his mind.
Perhaps that got him into some trouble at times in WWE, but it is undoubtedly what endeared him to the viewing audience in the first place.
While there are plenty of differences between the arts of professional wrestling and MMA, they’re also more similar than they may appear to be on the surface.
In WWE, wrestlers need to look as though they have a legitimate issue with each other in order for fans to truly care about the match. The same can be said for MMA fights, which is something Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting pointed toward after the UFC 190 press conference between Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia:
The competition in UFC is very real, but a little bit of embellishment during the lead-up to a fight can go a long way toward building interest. Nobody on the UFC roster is more adept at heating up a rivalry than Punk.
Even Punk himself has made mention of how getting a view of competitors outside the Octagon helps generate added excitement for a fight:
One of the best examples of that is former UFC star Chael Sonnen. While Sonnen enjoyed plenty of success with 29 wins in MMA, he continued to get placed in big-fight situations even though he went 3-4 over his final seven bouts.
That is because Sonnen was the best talker in UFC until Punk came around, and the fans either wanted to see him back up his tough talk or get his butt kicked. Either way, people were interested in watching Sonnen‘s fights.
Punk can achieve that same level of buzz if he embraces his professional wrestling roots and amplifies his personality in order to become somewhat of a divisive figure.
UFC needs fighters who can bolster the brand verbally, and there is no question that Punk is that guy. It is entirely possible that he won’t be a UFC-caliber fighter, but he can still make himself and the company a ton of money by showcasing his strengths.
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