WWE star CM Punk made his pro MMA debut at UFC 203 back in 2016. Punks debut was shut down in the first round by Mickey Gall with a submission victory. Two years later, CM Punk made his return to the octagon where he faced Mike Jackson at UFC 225. The outcome was very much […]
WWE star CM Punk made his pro MMA debut at UFC 203 back in 2016. Punks debut was shut down in the first round by Mickey Gall with a submission victory.
Two years later, CM Punk made his return to the octagon where he faced Mike Jackson at UFC 225. The outcome was very much no different, whilst CM Punk was able to go the distance with Jackson he was once again outperformed. Leaving CM Punks MMA record 2-0 with a disappointed White insisting that this would be the last time we would see Punk in the UFC.
Even though he managed to make it out of the first round and go the distance, White had still been left unimpressed.
“He got clipped a lot in that fight, it looked like he was hurt bad a couple of times.”
“I love the guy. He’s the nicest guy in the world. We gave him two shots. He had a lot of heart tonight, yeah, I think he should call it a wrap” (H/T BJPenn.com)
Since the loss at UFC 225, CM Punk has found his record updated. MMAJunkie confirmed through a Freedom of Information Act request and confirmation that Punks loss to Jackson had since been overturned.
According to the report from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Jackson had tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, a chemical found in marijuana. It has been confirmed that Jackson had been penalized however the news of the result being overturned had only been confirmed recently.
Official Statement Released:
“The official result of a full contact martial arts bout can be changed to a ‘No Contest’” if there is “an adverse post-bout disciplinary finding against a contestant”, Chris Slaby of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation had told MMAJunkie this Wednesday. “As detailed in the consent order provided, Mr. Jackson tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol due to marijuana following the June 9, 2018 UFC event”. (H/T MMAJunkie)
Punk and Jackson have yet to fight in the UFC again. Whilst it is known that we may never see Punk fight again, Jackson had been scheduled to face Dean Barry this year, however that fight is yet to come to fruition.
Do you think this loss overturned will mean a potential return for CM?
With the dust finally settled on former WWE superstar Phillip ‘CM Punk’ Brooks’ long overdue UFC debut at Saturday’s UFC 203 from Cleveland, the results played out just how most seasoned MMA fans and media members predicted it to. Punk was thoroughly handled by inexperienced 2-0 prospect Mickey Gall, who took him down following a wild
With the dust finally settled on former WWE superstar Phillip ‘CM Punk’ Brooks’ long overdue UFC debut at Saturday’s UFC 203 from Cleveland, the results played out just how most seasoned MMA fans and media members predicted it to.
Punk was thoroughly handled by inexperienced 2-0 prospect Mickey Gall, who took him down following a wild early rush before softening him up with a brutal barrage of ground shots that opened a clear path for the inevitable rear-naked choke win in just two minutes and 14 seconds. That was probably to be expected; but what followed could have a much more lasting impact upon the sport of MMA, even if it should have been expected as well.
What happened was the Ohio Athletic Commission (OAC) released the fight purse numbers for UFC 203, and not surprisingly, the list showed that Punk took home an absolutely massive payday of $500,000 base salary for a man who never had a single MMA fight to his name. No, he didn’t take home the biggest purse, as that distinction went to heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem and his $800,000 disclosed purse for his thrilling knockout loss to champion Stipe Miocic, who also took home more than Punk with $600,000.
Many experienced MMA fighters immediately took to Twitter to voice their displeasure with Punk’s payday after seemingly having paid far from the dues they had sweat and bled for, and overall, the payday and the subsequent backlash was more or less a microcosm of the growing anti-establishment sentiment brewing about fighter pay and overall treatment in the UFC. In an era where name value essentially trumps actual rankings and skill, those who can drive up pay-per-view (PPV) numbers are absolutely paid more than those who win against top-ranked opponents but fail to draw big numbers.
Punk was certainly able to drive up sales based on his name value alone, as Forbes estimated that his place on UFC 203’s main card added millions of dollars in revenue to the card. In that sense, he earned every dollar of his $500,000 disclosed purse, and probably the rumored pay-per-view points he’ll receive based on sheer numbers alone.
He’s unique in that he was an inexperienced fighter coming from a totally different game of pro wrestling, but he undoubtedly brought a new fanbase with him, at least for that one night (Dana White has said we won’t see Punk in the UFC again).
However, the ‘money fight’ concept has proven to be a go-to one for the UFC this year, where they eschewed a single defense of the featherweight title for Conor McGregor in favor of having him match up with Nate Diaz a second time, and the box office results were potentially record-setting. It will happen again when aging legend Dan Henderson, who sits at No. 13 in the 185-pound ranks and hasn’t won back-to-back bouts in years, faces unlikely champion Michael Bisping in a sort of revenge bout at October 8’s UFC 204 from Manchester.
Like it or not, the formula has been bringing cash in for the UFC on regular basis, and in no small amounts.
There’s already been a growing numbers of fighters lashing out against their contracts in the months after the UFC’s momentous $4 billion sale to talent agency WME-IMG in the days after UFC 200, and Punk’s substantial payday for what many deem an embarrassing effort obviously only served to fuel that fire. The argument that fighters must build their own brand to become top-level pay-per-views draws in their own right is an obvious one, yet Punk earned the big payday they are all seeking without having to do any of that.
Punk deserves respect for having the proverbial guts to set foot into the Octagon; that much is no doubt true. But the fact also remains there was no way to not pay him the amount he had negotiated without alienating fighters who haven’t made as much in their entire careers as Punk did for getting trounced in less than half a round. The backlash was inevitable.
While it could be a case of sour grapes from an increasingly disenfranchised roster, the reality of it is that, coupled with the recent sale and Reebok sponsorships limitations, Punk’s payday has and will continue to galvanize a fighter base that’s only now finding out what they’re truly worth.
Do they have work to do to promote themselves? Yes, without a doubt. Yet that’s going to be hard to accomplish without at least some of the UFC’s promotional machine behind them. The only thing mid-ranked fighters, or event top-ranked competitors who aren’t household names, can do to get that is win a several consecutive fights spectacularly, and that involves a heavy amount of risk on their part.
True, that’s their job, but it’s a wholly unforgiving, brutal one that has no guarantee whatsoever of success, pay, or health after their insanely short window at or near the top is over. It’s simply time for fighters to be paid what they’re worth and treated fairly for putting their bodies on the line day in and day out for the sake of mere entertainment. Luke Rockhold and TJ Dillashaw have been speaking out for change lately, and it’s time for more UFC athletes to follow suit.
The issue of fighter pay has never been more at the forefront of MMA’s hottest topics, so it’s strange that a scenario like that involving Punk arose right when talk of a fighter’s union has been swirling more fervently than ever. Baseball super agent Jeff Borris recently founded a fighter’s association to hopefully create that union and introduce the Muhammad Ali Act into MMA, and while many have cried that he’s simply looking to cash in on an opportunity involving fighters, that’s just what the UFC has been doing for years. With most fighters focusing on themselves and their camps, the fact that they have failed to band together and unionize is a big part of why they are constantly complaining about their pay.
So at the end of the day, it’s time for the UFC to make some overarching changes for their fighters – the writing is on the wall, and it could easily be argued that it has been for years now. Fighters just haven’t noticed it as much until they compared their paycheck to the UFC sale that they helped create by risking their long-term health.
CM Punk’s massive payday only further brought that into question, and the UFC’s current roster of athletes fully has the right to be mad.
Finally we got to see CM Punk’s MMA debut at UFC 203. After 18 months of speculation and hype, the former pro wrestling star stepped foot in the octagon. The 37-year old faced 2-0 Mickey Gall on the main card in Ohio this past Saturday, but it was not a good night for the ex-WWE
Finally we got to see CM Punk’s MMA debut at UFC 203. After 18 months of speculation and hype, the former pro wrestling star stepped foot in the octagon. The 37-year old faced 2-0 Mickey Gall on the main card in Ohio this past Saturday, but it was not a good night for the ex-WWE superstar. Much like Brock Lesnar before him, the reality of Punk’s first UFC fight was harsh at best. The main difference between the former UFC heavyweight champion and (real name) Phillip Brooks is actual experience in competition.
Lacking any amateur experience in fighting or even real life competitive sports showed for CM Punk at UFC 203. Gall was able to sack the pro wrestling veteran with ease, following up with some punches on the ground before the inevitable submission. You have to respect Punk for stepping in to fight in the octagon with zero prior fights. That being said, there’s plenty to lament about his MMA debut too.
The CM Punk Experiment
Contrary to popular belief, UFC president Dana White says CM punk fighting was not an experiment. While talking to Fight Network after UFC 203, White revealed his reasons for allowing Punk a shot in the octagon. He also says it’s probably not a good idea for the former WWE champion to take his next fight in the UFC.
“I wouldn’t know if it was an experiment,” White replied. “I became friends with him, he’s a nice guy and I have a lot of respect for him. He wanted me to give him a shot, I gave him a shot.”
“It’s probably not a good idea for him to take his next fight in the UFC. Like with Brock Lesnar, this is a tough place to learn. Even against a guy who’s 2-0, its tough.”
Off To The Amateur Leagues?
It seems CM Punk wants to keep fighting, albeit probably not for the UFC next. Speaking with the media during the post-fight presser, as quoted by MMAFighting.com, Brooks says it isn’t over just yet.
“My initial venture into this was gonna be at the lowest level,” Punk said at the post-fight press conference. “This opportunity just got presented to myself and I would have been a fool to say no. I don’t know what happens from here on out. What if I get cut? I don’t know. I think that’s a possibility. Do I want that to happen? No. But who’s to say where I go from here? I don’t know. I definitely want to keep going.”
After more than a year-and-a-half of speculation, former WWE champion Phillip ‘CM Punk’ Brooks finally made his awaited MMA debut when he faced 24-year-old prospect Mickey Gall on the main card of tonight’s (Sat., September 10, 2016) UFC 203 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The odds were skewed in Gall’s favor, and the
After more than a year-and-a-half of speculation, former WWE champion Phillip ‘CM Punk’ Brooks finally made his awaited MMA debut when he faced 24-year-old prospect Mickey Gall on the main card of tonight’s (Sat., September 10, 2016) UFC 203 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The odds were skewed in Gall’s favor, and the actual result didn’t fail to live up to that billing in any way. Gall immediately shot for a takedown and completed it, opening up the floodgates for a brutal beating that eventually lead to a rear-naked choke submission, forcing Punk to tap in just 2:14.
It was a chilling reality check, and confirmation for those that believed Punk simply didn’t belong to be fighting in the Octagon. Nevertheless, the star pro wrestler said it was the second greatest of his life, and would be back.
Here are the full fight video highlights of his one-sided loss:
Tomorrow (Sat., September 10, 2016) the UFC will roll on with their packed fall schedule with UFC 203 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The event is a unique one featuring heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic’s first title defense in the first-ever major UFC from his native Cleveland. He’ll square off with former Strikeforce, DREAM,
Tomorrow (Sat., September 10, 2016) the UFC will roll on with their packed fall schedule with UFC 203 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The event is a unique one featuring heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic’s first title defense in the first-ever major UFC from his native Cleveland. He’ll square off with former Strikeforce, DREAM, and K-1 champ Alistair Overeem, who, at 36 years old, has enjoyed a late-career resurgence to finally contend for a UFC title.
In the co-main event, former champion Fabricio Werdum will face late replacement Travis Browne, a fighter he already beat convincingly, after Ben Rothwell got injured.
But the card’s most intriguing bout is the debut of former WWE champion CM Punk, who will meet 25-year-old Mickey Gall on the main card. The odds would say Punk has absolutely no shot at a victory.
Find out who we picked below.
Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem:
Mike Drahota:
In my eyes this is a heavyweight title fight that may not be getting the amount of hype it deserves. Miocic and Overeem are two of the most powerful knockout artists in the game today, and this fight could truly end with the time-honored, cliché ‘don’t blink’ fashion.
Overeem comes in a slight underdog at +105 according to BigOnSports.com. He’s looked absolutely rejuvenated thanks to a late-career renaissance of sorts due to Greg Jackson, and the main part of that is his patience. Where he once expended his entire tank going for the early knockout as a hulking post-Strikeforce behemoth, Overeem has since shed several pounds and become more focused on using his world-class kickboxing skill efficiently.
The champ Miocic has some of the best boxing in the game, and he proved he can destroy fighters who stalk him down with his first-round starching of Fabricio Werdum back in May. Miocic is currently a slight -125 favorite.
His takedown game is solid too, but he may not want to test his submission defense against the under-touted ground game of Overeem. Miocic could certainly catch “The Reem” with a well-timed shot, but Overeem appears focused and patient enough to earn the nod here. Overeem by second round TKO in what should be a great fight.
Rory Kernaghan:
How hard it’s been to come up with a pick for this fight! The main event of UFC 203 has all the makings of a classic, but so many variables to consider. Against pretty much any other heavyweight in the division Miocic would have the technical striking advantage, but that’s perhaps not the case with Alistair Overeem. The former K-1, Strikeforce and DREAM champion has arguably the best striking in the division, possibly the entire UFC roster, but at heavyweight the chance of being finished is increased tenfold.
I like Stipe’s footwork and angles, the way he can strike while moving in any direction is a thing of beauty, and he has a great chin. ‘The Reem’ has incredible power, but it’s whether he gets the chance to use it or not that will prove pivotal. Even at the time of writing this, I’m flitting between picks. I’m gonna go with Stipe Miocic by TKO in the middle rounds, but don’t quote me on that, especially not at the bookies.
Mike Henken:
I’ve gone back-and-forth on this fight in my head and it’s been a difficult pick for me to make. Miocic has looked incredible as of late, and he’s undoubtedly one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division. His boxing is crisp and powerful, his wrestling is strong, and his conditioning and athleticism are second to none amongst the heavyweights. With Overeem, however, Miocic will be facing off with a much more experienced fighter, and perhaps a fighter that has never looked better.
“The Reem” has won four straight over the division’s elite with three of those victories coming by way of stoppage. His wrestling has seemed to improve in recent memory, and his striking speaks for itself. In fact, while Miocic may be the faster man on the feet, I feel as if Overeem is the better striker overall. “The Reem’s” chin has always been a question, but I’m going to go with my gut here. Overeem by fourth round TKO.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Travis Browne:
Mike Drahota:
Former champion Werdum has his back against the wall after his one-sided knockout loss to Miocic, but he may have caught a break when his original opponent Ben Rothwell withdrew and he signed to face replacement Travis Browne, whom he already beat in dominant style two-and-a-half years ago.
Werdum will come as a significant -200 favorite, and Browne has also looked far from the once-dominant destroyer he was when he was at Jackson’s, and his one-sided loss to Cain Velasquez at UFC 200 was to a fighter Werdum submitted to win the belt last year. MMA math may not add up, but unless ‘Vai Cavalo’ is on the decline of his long career, I see him out-matching “Hapa” in all areas of the game aside from strength and athleticism. Werdum by decision.
Rory Kernaghan:
Co-main event stars Werdum and Browne create a little less trouble for me in terms of predictions. ‘Vai Cavalo’ already holds one very dominant victory over ‘Hapa’ and I don’t see a different result coming from the rematch. The former champion has the massive advantage in the grappling exchanges, and I actually see this fight going to the ground very quickly. The Brazilian grappler needs this fight to be more than a win; it needs to be a big statement. After getting stone cold ko’d against Miocic, I don’t imagine ‘Vai Cavalo’ will be taking a single chance in the feet. Cut and dry, this is a first round submission for Fabricio Werdum.
Mike Henken:
Aside from an early scare, Werdum dominated Browne for five rounds in their first meeting back in 2014, and this time, “Hapa” will be coming in on short notice. Despite “Vai Cavalo” getting destroyed in his last bout, I see him taking this one rather easily. His grappling is leaps and bounds above Browne’s, in my opinion, and he should be able to once again out strike his opponent. The Brazilian also seems to be more motivated than ever to earn another title shot. Browne’s power can never be counted out, but I’m going to go with Werdum by unanimous decision.
CM Punk vs. Mickey Gall:
Mike Drahota:
Even though Phillip ‘CM Punk’ Brooks’ entire foray into the UFC has been met with a ton of criticism, I must admit that his bout against the inexperienced but promising Gall is an intriguing one that will make people want to tune in, and isn’t that why CM Punk was signed to the promotion in this era where hype and buzz tops actual rank most every time?
Without a single amateur or professional bout to his credit, Punk comes in as a massive +381 underdog according to BigOnSports, and perhaps for good reason. Despite having only four total MMA bouts himself, you’ll have to bet big on -476 favorite Gall to make any substantial money.
Whispers are that his training hasn’t gone along as hoped, but after almost two years of speculation, he’ll step into the Octagon nonetheless. A win would be huge for him, but the vibe I got from his many pre-fight interviews and his short open workout session was that he didn’t fully want to be there. I could be wrong, but it also seems Gall is aware of the opportunity he has, and will seize it. Gall by second round submission is the pick.
Rory Kernaghan:
CM Punk’s UFC debut will be disappointing in my opinion. Perhaps not for fans of Mickey Gall, but certainly for Brooks’ followers. If his most recent training footage is anything to go by, Punk will be lucky to make it five minutes with an actual fighter with real combat experience. There are no technical views on this fight from my perspective-it’s a squash match, any other result would genuinely leave me suspicious or at least highly surprised. How will it go? Well, how would the average guy fare? Yep, it’s a one-way ticket to you got KTFO’ville. Gall by first round KO.
Mike Henken:
To be honest, I’m not sure what to expect from this bout. Gall has competed in two professional bouts, and came out on top in both by way of submission, but he’s still very inexperienced. Punk, on the other hand, has never competed in a cage before. The former professional wrestler has, however, been training under legendary kick boxer Duke Roufus with one of the best teams in the world, Roufusport. I’d have to assume that Roufus got Punk somewhat prepared to fight. For that reason, I’ll go with Punk by decision.
With only three days left until Saturday’s (September 10, 2016) UFC 203 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, the MMA world anxiously awaits CM Punk’s long overdue and controversial Octagon debut. Scheduled to face green 2-0 prospect Mickey Gall on the main card of the UFC’s first-ever pay-per-view (PPV) from Cleveland, Punk (real
With only three days left until Saturday’s (September 10, 2016) UFC 203 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, the MMA world anxiously awaits CM Punk’s long overdue and controversial Octagon debut.
Scheduled to face green 2-0 prospect Mickey Gall on the main card of the UFC’s first-ever pay-per-view (PPV) from Cleveland, Punk (real name Phillip Brooks) has been telling everyone who will listen that there’s no reason he shouldn’t have the opportunity that many fans, media members, and fighters feel he may not really deserve, and the only thing he can do to quiet those critics is win at UFC 203.
But those who have witnessed his training videos believe he’s far from ready to compete at MMA’s highest level, and there are whispers that his session at today’s UFC 203 open workouts only served to further illustrate that stance. Watch the session courtesy of MMA Fighting below and decide for yourself:
![Luke-Rockhold[1]](http://cdn.lowkickmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Luke-Rockhold1.jpg)
