CM Punk will officially join Brock Lesnar as the second former WWE champion to make the transition to MMA and compete in the UFC.
The former professional wrestling star made an appearance Saturday night on the live pay-per-view broadcast of UFC 181&nbs…
CM Punk will officially join Brock Lesnar as the second former WWE champion to make the transition to MMA and compete in the UFC.
The former professional wrestling star made an appearance Saturday night on the live pay-per-view broadcast of UFC 181 and shocked the world with news that he had signed a fight deal with the UFC.
There were hints leading up to Saturday night’s announcement that some kind of deal could get done. UFC President Dana White expressed interest in signing Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, during an interview Friday on The Jim Rome Show. He even teased Punk debuting against an opponent of equal MMA experience.
Not only has Punk never fought, but he also doesn’t have a world-class wrestling background to lean on like Lesnar, who was immediately fed to the wolves upon entry into the UFC.
Despite the obvious trail of bread crumbs, it was still a bit of a surprise to hear that Punk would actually be competing in the UFC and not commentating or some other suit-and-tie-type gig.
“I’d say my professional wrestling days are over. I’m sure I’m gonna have to do plenty of wrestling [in the cage],” Punk told UFC commentator Joe Rogan. “…The idea of being able to step into the Octagon and find out what’s inside myself and test myself is an opportunity that I was not able to deny myself.”
Moments after Punk’s announcement, Twitter lit up with mixed reactions from MMA fighters and professional wrestlers.
With no official fight date or opponent in sight, Punk told Rogan that he plans on doing a test weight cut to decide if he wants to compete at middleweight or welterweight.
He has yet to make a decision on which fight camp he will joining.
JordyMcElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
UFC 181 defined the promotion’s capabilities in the surprise department each time out.
There were grisly knockouts. Cringe-inducing submissions. Upsets and favorites putting it all together to make serious statements. There was even a special ann…
UFC 181 defined the promotion’s capabilities in the surprise department each time out.
There were grisly knockouts. Cringe-inducing submissions. Upsets and favorites putting it all together to make serious statements. There was even a special announcement from a guy named CM Punk:
All kidding aside, “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler’s performance against Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks even proved two things: The division is wide-open, and rematches are actually allowed to flirt with the quality of the originals.
Below, let’s review the card and highlight some of the more notable shocks that occurred in the Octagon on the night.
UCF 181 Results
Most Surprising Results
Josh Samman‘s Explosiveness
For just a moment on Saturday, it looked like any other Josh Samman fight. The 26-year-old star and Eddie Gordon traded blows in the opening round and mixed in some precautionary wrestling until the buzzer.
Early in the second, though, Samman exploded for an emphatic finish.
Samman delivered a shin to Gordon’s chin that had his opponent out cold before he even hit the mat.
Matt Erickson of USA Today captures one of the night’s most vicious knockouts:
Kevin Iole and ESPN’s Brett Okamoto put it best:
After an absence from the Octagon for various reasons since April 2013, the Tallahassee, Florida, native is back on the radar of anyone and everyone. Not only that, but he has a highlight knockout that the globe will not soon forget.
The only direction Samman can go at this point is up.
Todd Duffee Needs Just 33 Seconds
Todd Duffee knows a thing about dramatic comebacks, too.
One of the most promising heavyweight prospects on the planet some time ago, Duffee‘s career was in limbo for a stretch due to injuries and performance issues that at one point saw him cut by the promotion.
Friday’s encounter with Anthony Hamilton was Duffee‘s first foray into the Octagon since December 2012. As MMAFighting.com illustrates, Duffee has a knack for quick finishes:
Of Duffee‘s last six wins, the longest encounter came in his last fight, in which Philip De Fries lasted all of 2:04 before a TKO.
At 29 years old, Duffee celebrated his birthday in style by moving his record to 9-2 and ensuring that the promotion and its worldwide fanbase understands he is back on the right track after a number of detours.
Anthony Pettis Comes Full Circle
Saturday featured several proclamations of sorts, perhaps none louder than Anthony Pettis‘ accomplishments.
Missing in action from the Octagon since August 2013, Pettis had something to prove against Gilbert Melendez in a lightweight title fight.
Issues of consistency and health have marred one of this generation’s most skilled offensive fighters. There were no such problems Saturday, though, as Pettis wasted little time in Round 2 by applying a guillotine choke that forced John McCarthy to end the proceedings.
After an early slumber, Pettis appeared to turn on the afterburners to get the victory. After hoisting the strap, he broke down his performance, via John Morgan of MMAJunkie.com:
I feel like I had a great performance. Gil’s a tough guy. I was expecting a war out there, and he delivered. The first round, I tried to avoid the takedowns as best as possible. But I think once I got to striking range, I delivered. I hit him with some good shots. I hit him with some nice jabs. I think I did enough to prove that I deserve this belt.
The fact that Pettis‘ win gets chalked as a surprise says a lot about where he’s at in his career right now.
While one of the most electric fighters in the sport, Pettis has a lot to prove in the realm of public perception when it comes to his ability to stay healthy and perform at a high level each time out.
After Saturday it is quite clear that Pettis is on the warpath once again. For fans of elite offensive mixed martial arts, this is the most pleasant surprise of all from Saturday’s event.
Note: Stats and info courtesy of UFC.comunless otherwise specified.
UFC 181 ended on an extremely contentious note. Robbie Lawler became the first team member of American Top Team to earn a UFC title, and much of the MMA community is questioning the validity of that victory.
With their second close fight to close out 2…
UFC 181 ended on an extremely contentious note. Robbie Lawler became the first team member of American Top Team to earn a UFC title, and much of the MMA community is questioning the validity of that victory.
With their second close fight to close out 2014 now in the books, the UFC could score big by booking a trilogy fight between these two men in 2015.
Hendricks and Lawler provided fight fans with two of the biggest moments of the year. UFC 171 and UFC 181 were two of the closest title fights in the sport this year. As a result of the bouts, both men have gained fans for their rousing performances.
Fans know that they will get a fight that is exciting in different ways each time these men face off within the Octagon. With that in mind, UFC President Dana White has already started leaning toward that third bout.
If the action presented in their first two bouts is any indication, then White is 100 percent correct.
The UFC 171 fight ended with 308 significant strikes landed (via Fight Metric). UFC 181 closed out with 228 significant strikes landed but much more of a wider MMA offering, as Hendricks brought more out of his wrestling background (via Fight Metric).
The action in both fights went back and forth as the fight community was given the opportunity to see each competitor shine. They were the exact type of fights that build the fanbase for fighters at this level, and the UFC can capitalize by putting them together for the third time.
But what about Rory MacDonald? The Canadian fighter has made a strong string of performances and White seemed to indicate that MacDonald was in a position to receive a title shot.
“It’s pretty impossible to deny Rory that,” White told the Canadian Press in October. “Whoever comes out of that Hendricks-Lawler fight, [MacDonald] is the next guy in line.”
But that message changed during Saturday’s press conference, as White answered with “I have no idea” when questioned if MacDonald would still get the shot (via MMA Junkie). If MacDonald’s title shot is put on the back burner, the UFC should immediately move toward the third fight between Lawler and Hendricks with MacDonald getting a shot at the winner.
From a business standpoint, the third fight would strengthen what is already a strong slate of events to start 2015. According to Fight Parrot, UFC 171 ended with 300,000 PPV buys at a time when the UFC is struggling to keep steady above that rate.
The numbers for UFC 181 are still weeks away from being revealed, but if there is an increase, then booking the third fight would be justified further. Giving the two men 25 more minutes to work would benefit both their stock and the UFC brand as a whole.
Mixed martial arts has a few examples of rivalries that ended in trilogy bouts. Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler should be added to that list in 2015.
As UFC 181 came to a close it is clear that these two men have unfinished business when it comes to that welterweight title. The UFC would benefit and both fighters would grow if they’re given the opportunity to face each other once again.
Anthony Pettis retained his lightweight strap at UFC 181 in spectacular fashion.
Against a very game Gilbert Melendez, Pettis slipped a short right hand over Melendez’s shoulder and wobbled him badly. From there, he pounced on a guillotine that forced …
Against a very game Gilbert Melendez, Pettis slipped a short right hand over Melendez’s shoulder and wobbled him badly. From there, he pounced on a guillotine that forced “El Nino” to tap for the first time in his extensive MMA career.
It was Pettis‘ first title defense, and boy, it was a doozy. Now, of course, he aims to do it again.
Who might we see challenge Pettis next? Here are a few potential options:
Winner of Donald Cerrone vs. Myles Jury
While Donald Cerrone has already faced Pettis (with less-than-stellar results), his five-fight winning streak is one of the most impressive in the division today. Myles Jury is no slouch, either. The TUF15 contender has been perfect in the bigs thus far, compiling a 6-0 UFC record (15-0 total) and is coming off an electrifying knockout of Pride legend TakanoriGomi.
Cerrone‘s inclusion here undeniably stems from his popularity. “Cowboy” is one of the few draws in the lightweight division and represents one of the few legitimate “money” fights for Pettis. From a “lineal” or MMA math perspective, however, his losses to two of the other fighters on this list should knock him out of the running. When it comes to Jury, while still a relative unknown if he makes a particularly strong impression, he could find himself poised for a top-contender bout or an outright title shot if things fall in place.
The good thing for both men is that their fight is attached to a guaranteed blockbuster, UFC 182. Lots of eyeballs will be upon them and this will be their greatest opportunity to enter the consciousness of the casual fan’s mind. The opportunity is there! One of them just needs to grab it.
Winner of Rafael dos Anjos vs. Nate Diaz
Yeah, a lot of the top lightweights are all booked up right now. Rafael dos Anjos and Nate Diaz are no different, and both find themselves with some business to handle before they can really consider a title shot.
Dos Anjos owns a particularly strong claim to a title shot already, given his recent win over Benson Henderson and 2013 victory over Cerrone. While Diaz has lost some momentum recently, given his long layoff and 1-2 record over his last three fights, a win over dos Anjos would put him right back into the title discussion. Then consider his sizable fanbase and tell me a Pettis vs. Diaz title fight isn’t a very strong possibility in Spring 2015.
Dos Anjos and Diaz face off in the co-main event of UFC on Fox 13 next Saturday. Keep a close eye on it.
KhabibNurmagomedov
The young man from Dagestan is an interesting commodity. He is also one hell of a fighter. KhabibNurmagomedov defeated dos Anjos emphatically last year and, with how things have shaken out, a case could be made that he is the on-paper top contender at 155 pounds today.
Not only that, but he is the worst possible stylistic matchup there is for Pettis. We just saw Melendez find a fair bit of success against the champ (albeit before getting stopped in spectacular fashion) by attacking his well-known Achilles’ heel: wrestling defense. Nurmagomedov has a stronger clinch game, and a superior double-leg takedown. That could make for a very long night for “Showtime.”
What works against Nurmagomedov‘s title hopes, however, is a long layoff due to a knee injury that leaves his place in the fast-moving lightweight division unclear. Nurmagomedov might be the top contender, or he might not be. Either way, it is tough to imagine the UFC giving him the opportunity if they have fighters with comparably strong resumes and more drawing power.
When CM Punk signed with the UFC last night MMA fans, pundits and every pseudo-journalist in between lost their minds either with glee, bemusement, or disgust.
There’s not necessarily one “right” way to look at the issue of the UFC signing CM Punk (whose real name is Phil Brooks). Is he killing MMA’s credibility? Yes. Is he going to be a big draw and help the UFC out of a rut? Yes.
There’s a lot going on here. Let’s look at CM Punk’s UFC signing in depth…
CM Punk is killing the UFC’s credibility
Oh, undeniably. The argument here is signing CM Punk turns the UFC from legitimate athletic endeavor [Ed’s note: LMAO]into celebrity boxing.
Proponents of this theory are, well, kind of accurate. During the Reebok sponsorship press conference last week, the UFC boasted about the Reebok deal bringing them in line with the NFL and other major sports organizations. While the realities of that statement are dubious, it’s clear the UFC wanted viewers to leave with that “fact” as a key takeaway.
But would an NFL team sign CM Punk as a QB just because he might draw ratings and sell tickets? Hell, NFL teams wouldn’t even sign perennial attention-getter Tim Tebow who’s an actual football player. And as Bleacher Report‘s Jonathan Snowden pointed out, even Michael Jordan had to start in the minor leagues when he wanted to play baseball.
The NFL, NBA, or any other big league would never sign a 36-year-old with zero sports background just for attention and a bit of quick cash. These organizations care about legitimacy or at least the illusion of legitimacy. They want to convey class and prestige. They’re athletic contests, not Dancing with the Stars.
By signing CM Punk, the UFC admitted they are an entertainment company first and a sport second. While this has arguably been true since day one, they’ve never gone out of their way to make it so apparent before.
More takes after the jump.
(Future UFC middleweight champion CM Punk. / Photo via Getty)
There’s not necessarily one “right” way to look at the issue of the UFC signing CM Punk (whose real name is Phil Brooks). Is he killing MMA’s credibility? Yes. Is he going to be a big draw and help the UFC out of a rut? Yes.
There’s a lot going on here. Let’s look at CM Punk’s UFC signing in depth…
CM Punk is killing the UFC’s credibility
Oh, undeniably. The argument here is signing CM Punk turns the UFC from legitimate athletic endeavor [Ed’s note: LMAO]into celebrity boxing.
Proponents of this theory are, well, kind of accurate. During the Reebok sponsorship press conference last week, the UFC boasted about the Reebok deal bringing them in line with the NFL and other major sports organizations. While the realities of that statement are dubious, it’s clear the UFC wanted viewers to leave with that “fact” as a key takeaway.
But would an NFL team sign CM Punk as a QB just because he might draw ratings and sell tickets? Hell, NFL teams wouldn’t even sign perennial attention-getter Tim Tebow who’s an actual football player. And as Bleacher Report‘s Jonathan Snowden pointed out, even Michael Jordan had to start in the minor leagues when he wanted to play baseball.
The NFL, NBA, or any other big league would never sign a 36-year-old with zero sports background just for attention and a bit of quick cash. These organizations care about legitimacy or at least the illusion of legitimacy. They want to convey class and prestige. They’re athletic contests, not Dancing with the Stars.
By signing CM Punk, the UFC admitted they are an entertainment company first and a sport second. While this has arguably been true since day one, they’ve never gone out of their way to make it so apparent before.
Signing CM Punk does not diminish the UFC’s credibility because they never had any
The response to the above take is that the UFC was never credible, so signing CM Punk is fine. There’s a bit of truth here.
Tell me, when was the UFC a credible sports league that never dabbled (or outright prioritized) entertainment over athleticism? Was it when we had Art Jimmerson fighting with one boxing glove on? Was it when Kimo walked out to the cage bearing a crucifix? Was it when Cabbage fought Tank Abbott? Was it when Kimbo Slice starred in a season of The Ultimate Fighter? Was it when the UFC signed James Toney?
The UFC was never a paragon of athletic virtue. And while the company might be married to sports now, entertainment is a frequent mistress.
This isn’t a modern development. It’s just that now people like complaining about it. Nobody whined when their favorite Pride stars murdered Japanese pro wrestlers. So why get angry about CM Punk?
CM Punk is the savior of the UFC
This is a super-controversial opinion despite loads of data supporting it, but the UFC isn’t doing so well these days. In fact, you could go as far as saying the UFC is doing badly.
Now, I’m sure after reading that a portion of you have jumped down to the comments to write “Y U HATE MMA, CAGEPOTATO!!!11????” If you’re still here though, you’re a reasonable human being who will reach reasonable conclusions upon hearing about the UFC’s business woes. The UFC’s profit dropped 40% this year, and Standard & Poor’s might downgrade Zuffa’s debt for a second time come 2015. PPV numbers are in sharp decline and TV ratings aren’tdoingmuch better.
Signing CM Punk represents a glimmer of hope (or desperation, depending on your viewpoint). Punk will draw PPV buys. Maybe not as many as Brock Lesnar or Georges St-Pierre, but certainly more than the current stock of “big” names on the UFC’s roster.
That can only be a good thing, right? Yes and no. It’s good if the people this publicity stunt attracts ultimately become fans and go on to buy PPVs featuring people other than CM Punk. It’s bad if CM Punk does one or two PPVs, leaves, and brings all the hype and eyeballs along with him. If that happens, the UFC will have humiliated themselves for a little bit of easy money.
Bellator is the new UFC
A white hot take, but perhaps one with an atom of quasi-truth to it (or maybe like a quark of quasi-truth).
Last month, Bellator signed Aaron Pico — an 18-year-old wrestling wunderkind with an amateur boxing background as well. Of course, when you point out anything positive about Bellator people will scream “ORTIZ VS. BONNAR! ORTIZ VS. BONNAR!! ORTIZ VS. BONNAR!!!”
And that’s fair. Bellator is engaged in its share of ridiculous pro wrestling chicanery. Yeah, Bellator is adding disgraced UFC has-beens like Stephan Bonnar to its stable of fighters. However, the Pico signing indicates they’re bringing in guys like Bonnar just to add some (fading) name value to a card filled with serious prospects like Pico.
Meanwhile, the UFC signed CM Punk. CM Punk is a “fighter” who is all name and no substance — in other words, the complete opposite of Pico.
Of course, Bellator has their own pro wrestler in Bobby Lashley, but he at least had an athletic background and was more than an MMA fan with time and money to kill, looking to cross something off his bucket list.
CM Punk is the new Brock Lesnar
This comparison fails once you go beyond the fact that they’re both pro wrestlers.
Yeah, they both were WWE champions at one time. That’s it. They don’t have anything else in common, at least athletically speaking. Brock Lesnar was an accomplished amateur wrestler and a tremendous athlete. CM Punk is a 36-year-old BJJ hobbyist with an injury-addled body and zero competitive athletic background. His career arc in the UFC will not mirror Lesnar’s in any way, save for maybe ending with an ass-kicking and jumping ship back to WWE.
This might sound unnecessarily harsh but comparing the two men insults one and falsely inflates another.
Can Punk be the new Lesnar in terms of PPV buys though?
Maybe. Part of Lesnar’s allure is that in addition to being a genetic freak (and a pro wrestler), he actually had skill enough to win a title. Punk does not have that and never will.
So what do we make of CM Punk, UFC Fighter?
CM Punk is a professional wrestler and BJJ weekend warrior who has the spare time and spare change to take an MMA fight. The UFC is happy to broadcast that fight for PPV dollars. This hurts the UFC’s image, but there wasn’t really much of an image to hurt. MMA has always been a circus act masquerading as a real sport, and now we have a real-life pro wrestling carnie to add to MMA’s menagerie of characters. What’s so bad about that?
Mixed martial arts has seen its number of controversial decisions. Just like with other sports, there are moments where fans and media alike are left to ask: What just happened?
The end of UFC 181 should be added to a long list of perplexing moments. J…
Mixed martial arts has seen its number of controversial decisions. Just like with other sports, there are moments where fans and media alike are left to ask: What just happened?
The end of UFC 181 should be added to a long list of perplexing moments. Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks lost his welterweight title to Robbie Lawler on Saturday via split decision after a performance that looked much better than his showing at UFC 171. When the dust settles, this result may be one of the most contentious decisions of 2014.
The first place to start with this discussion is to look at the scorecards, as recorded by MMA Decisions. Sal D’Amato awarded the bout to Hendricks with a 48-47 score. In his eyes, Lawler won Rounds 2 and 3. Marcos Rosales gave the fight to Lawler with a 48-47 card, in which Ruthless won Round 1, 4 and 5. Glenn Trowbridge submitted the most one-sided card of the night with a 49-46 score where Lawler took every round except Round 3.
Now, let’s break those scores down with the fight statistics provided by FightMetric.
According to the official statistician of the UFC, Lawler and Hendricks had a very close striking affair from a numbers standpoint. Lawler landed 57 percent of his strikes compared to Hendricks’ 48 percent. One of the main differences, however, was that Hendricks clearly had the edge in the wrestling department. He completed five of 17 takedowns.
In looking at the total dynamic of this fight in relation to MMA as a whole, Hendricks had more success in multiple areas. That this split decision went against him was widely considered a surprise. For example, of the 15 media scores recorded on MMA Decisions, 12 had the fight going to Hendricks.
Also, according to Mike Bohn of USA Today, this is the first time in UFC history in which a champion has lost his title via split decision:
Comparing this fight to their contest at UFC 171 also shows signs that the UFC 181 result is questionable. The bout in March was very close in statistical output for both fighters, via FightMetric. In what was mostly a striking battle, Hendricks outlanded Lawler by the final count of 158 of 397 to 150 of 331. Even though Hendricks fought with an injured arm and scored only two takedowns, he walked away with a unanimous-decision win, which was widely agreed upon by most of the MMA media community, via MMA Decisions.
When comparing the two fights, the numbers and responses lean toward the idea that Hendricks’ performance on Saturday night was more dominant than his performance in March, yet he was unable to end the year holding the 170-pound belt.
Hendricks was obviously upset with the way his night ended. The result of his first title defense will be highly debated for the next few weeks, if not longer. Looking at the scorecards and statistics, it is hard to make an argument that he lost this contest. With a potential trilogy bout in the future, it will be interesting to watch if the former national champion wrestler receives an immediate rematch.
CM Punk will officially join Brock Lesnar as the second former WWE champion to make the transition to MMA and compete in the UFC.
