Setting the record straight.
In the aftermath of UFC 203, there’s a lot of things to talk about. Stipe defeats Alistair Overeem to defend the title, Werdum’s Post fight fight makes headlines, and CB Dollaway gets T.K.O.’ d by an elevator. But the real story Saturday night was CM Punk and his first steps in the octagon.
If you watched the fight, you saw what many people expected. The former WWE pro-wrestler was finished just outside of two minutes of the first round. Besides a few submission defenses, he landed no significant strikes and by all accounts was dominated by UFC newcomer Mickey Gall.
Before we get into this post, and everyone starts claiming us as “haters”, we must say that we respect CM PUNK. he’s got a lot of heart, a lot of balls, and his drive is undeniable. However, he does not belong in the UFC. We respect that he wanted to “get in there” and give it a chance, but the biggest stage in MMA history is not the place to live out a mid-life crisis. Just because Justin Bieber sells records does not mean he should be in the NBA.
Yes, he has a good story. He was separated from his previous employer Vince Mcmahon in an less than amicable way to say the least. He gets signed by the UFC with zero MMA experience but a name of heavyweight proportions. He was suppose to rise from the ashes like the Phoenix, prove the haters wrong and give the big finger to Vince McMahon in the process. However, unlike theatre, reality bites. You can cut all the promos you want, brag at press conferences, or win every stare down, but at the end of the day you have to fight.
What I love about fighting is that’s it’s the great equalizer. Rich, poor, white, black, when you step into that octagon there’s nothing but truth. And to watch people perform the art at it’s highest level is why I tune into UFC. What went down between CM Punk and Mickey Gall at UFC 203 was not art, it was a side show. You can only ignore reality for so long.
”You can ignore reality, but you can’t ignore the consequences of ignoring reality” – Ayn Rand
In the video below, fellow welterweight and tough guy extraordinaire Matt Browne gives a logical breakdown on why he feels matchups like these downplay the significance of being a UFC fighter. While he made many interesting points, what really got was when he spoke about the sport growing “organically”. Like me, he believes the sport will naturally grow with time by having the best fight the best with proper promotion. We don’t need to whore ourselves out to the masses with these sideshow fights. But you be the judge, check out the video below and tell us what you think!
Now we know what you’re going to say, it’s all about the money. But is it really? Whoever started the UFC obviously had a love for the sport. If it was all about money they could’ve opened up a software company or maybe gotten a spot on the stock exchange. The truth is there had to be some type of integrity, some type of yearning to see the human fighting potential reach its height.
The point I’m trying to make is that it’s a balancing act. While you want the sport to grow you don’t want to go down the black hole of entertainment for entertainment’s sake, skilled fighting has got to be somewhere at the top of the list.
If CM Punk loved the sport as much as he claims to he would’ve started from the bottom. He would’ve taken his time, climbed up the ranks and learned technique along the way. Instead, he decided to fight on the highest platform with minimal training because he had friends in high places and he could cut a promo. The truth is, the Punk endeavour was purely selfish, and while I want eyeballs on the sport, I don’t want it that way.
What do you guys think, is MMA integrity a real thing or is it all about dollars and cents?
Lionel Harris-Spence is a local drunk and part time writer for Cage Potato, and Generation Iron MMA. You can catch him screaming obscenities at a flat screen during most MMA events.
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