CM Punk signs multi-fight deal with UFC

[Szczepanik]

I agree with Nate Diaz. Letting Brooks into the UFC with no fighting background cheapens the other fighters on the roster.

He regularly trains so much that he doesn't carry a belt in any discipline. He has dabbled in it, is what you mean.

It's a cash grab for Dana, but it's something that long term could hurt the promotion that is still fighting for legitimacy as a mainstream sport.

You can regularly train in disciplines without holding belts in them.

Everything Dana does is a cash grab, is it not? The title fights are mainly due to which contender will bring in the most money for PPV numbers. Often times you see a deserving contender get skipped by someone who is a bigger draw. For instance Chael Sonnen talked his way up the ladder so fast, he passed up contenders in those weight classes. Conor McGregor is the same way in Aldo's division, Conor has feasted on lowbies and ran his mouth and vaulted up the ladder in that division.

As far as hurting the promotion for legitimacy, Dana White hurts the sport directly himself. He repeatedly gets in PR issues for his profane twitter rants, calling out fans with profanity, and also fighter bashing that no other sport would even think about. I can provide examples if need be, but Dana White is all about the $$ and constantly hurts the sport. The UFC would be a bigger draw if it weren't for him NOWADAYS I believe.

I will be interested in CM's maturation as a fighter, UFC does not have their old WEC partnership where it was almost seen as a fighter developmental organization. I am sure he was in competition with Bellator or WSOF.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Then you don't listen to Dana White when he speaks. Of course they are. They want to be as big or bigger than the NFL.

Being as big or bigger than the NFL is not what constitutes legitimacy as a mainstream sport. Otherwise, the NBA, NHL, MLB, etc. would not be considered legitimate mainstream sports.

And I don't think having Punk fight a few matches will hurt the legitimacy of MMA. If I were to be leery of it, it would be the same as boxing where there started to become more and more publicity stunts, particularly on the main events. There was also the Tex Cobb vs. Larry Holmes match which was misrepresented to a degree by Howard Cosell (Cobb was a legit boxer who had a crazy style of enduring tons of punishment and getting his punches in to win by attrition). The other issues were also promoter related and the decades of not having a legitimate white American heavyweight boxer contending and the Klitschko brothers and Holyfield are about as exciting to watch as paint dry.

I think White sees MMA growing as big as the NFL because decades ago boxing was to what the NFL is today. I'm just not sure if that can be replicated regardless of what talent there is on the UFC roster.





YR

 

[Risen Star]

Being as big or bigger than the NFL is not what constitutes legitimacy as a mainstream sport. Otherwise, the NBA, NHL, MLB, etc. would not be considered legitimate mainstream sports.

I didn't say it was but was making the point that that was the goal. Dana has said many times he feels the UFC can be bigger than the NFL. The goal is absolutely to be mainstream. That is why the rules were changed when the Fertittas bought it. All in the effort to be taken seriously and be mainstream.

Why would anyone question that anyway? Of course they want to be mainstream. They want to grow the company. They can't do that by remaining the sideshow attraction they were in the early 90's.

This sort of thing reflects back to those sideshow days.

And I don't think having Punk fight a few matches will hurt the legitimacy of MMA. If I were to be leery of it, it would be the same as boxing where there started to become more and more publicity stunts, particularly on the main events. There was also the Tex Cobb vs. Larry Holmes match which was misrepresented to a degree by Howard Cosell (Cobb was a legit boxer who had a crazy style of enduring tons of punishment and getting his punches in to win by attrition). The other issues were also promoter related and the decades of not having a legitimate white American heavyweight boxer contending and the Klitschko brothers and Holyfield are about as exciting to watch as paint dry.

I think White sees MMA growing as big as the NFL because decades ago boxing was to what the NFL is today. I'm just not sure if that can be replicated regardless of what talent there is on the UFC roster.

YR

You should have to earn your way into the UFC through performance in the cage. That should be the best of the best. To have some fake wrestler just walk in with a name and get someone's spot simply because he's a draw cheapens the promotion. There is just no way I'll think differently about it. It's a cash grab now, but long term I think it doesn't help you in your goal to be mainstream and taken seriously as the highest level of MMA.

 

[jterrell]

various:
I don't think is a big deal.
This guy is here for 1 or 2 fights and likely ends up back outside the org.
If he can really fight then great. If not he'll be gone in a blink.
Plenty of people have had a fight or two in the UFC that were awful.

No, this isn't some great CM Punk ploy.
He frankly was really mad at the WWE and this was a chance to make a solid living and test himself in another area.
He'd clearly rather succeed in the UFC then simply limp along and bounce back to the WWE as a 40 year old.
Crazy to be mad at him for testing his limits.
He's been honest in interviews about how he really doesn't know what will happen.

Body-wise this UFC grind will be MUCH harder than WWE. 37 year old bodies aren't meant to work at the rate UFC guys do and starting up now is really unheard of.
WWE guys lift weights, travel and practice orchestrated cage routines.
That's hardly nothing but it's not that different from thousands of people who travel for travel and hit the gym hard regularly.
Sparring and practicing boxing, BJJ, wrestling, cutting/managing weight and strength and conditioning are on another level.
These guys train harder than NFL players.

Anyone paying to watch this guy fight is crazy but that's not his or the UFC's fault.

 

[Risen Star]

He will get destroyed in the Octagon. That's besides the point.

 

[jterrell]

He will get destroyed in the Octagon. That's besides the point.

there is no other point that matters.
mouth-breathers can complain all they want but only results matter.
the entire beauty of the sport is 1 v 1 comp in a locked cage.
any fake outrage over someone getting a shot is just stupid beyond words.
they call up local spare guys to fight on short notice almost every card.
no one has ever heard of them and no one cares.
some win or put on a show and get called back others simply never get another look and can use ex-UFC in a bio for whatever they do next.
it is really hard to find heavyweights.
there will be lots of them that are not any good at all get looks.

 

[Risen Star]

there is no other point that matters.
mouth-breathers can complain all they want but only results matter.
the entire beauty of the sport is 1 v 1 comp in a locked cage.
any fake outrage over someone getting a shot is just stupid beyond words.
they call up local spare guys to fight on short notice almost every card.
no one has ever heard of them and no one cares.
some win or put on a show and get called back others simply never get another look and can use ex-UFC in a bio for whatever they do next.
it is really hard to find heavyweights.
there will be lots of them that are not any good at all get looks.

You need to inform Nate Diaz that he's a mouth breather and how he's stupid beyond words to think you should earn being in the top level of MMA.

Or maybe the legitimate MMA that loses his spot so this fraud can walk in with no qualifications.

Or all the MMAs who have put their bodies on the line for years to earn what they have and now have to watch someone who hasn't get paid more than they do.

They could really benefit from your brilliance.

 

[big dog cowboy]

He will get destroyed in the Octagon.

All he has to do is nail his "go to sleep" finishing move and it's an easy victory, right?

 

[jterrell]

You need to inform Nate Diaz that he's a mouth breather and how he's stupid beyond words to think you should earn being in the top level of MMA.

Or maybe the legitimate MMA that loses his spot so this fraud can walk in with no qualifications.

Or all the MMAs who have put their bodies on the line for years to earn what they have and now have to watch someone who hasn't get paid more than they do.

They could really benefit from your brilliance.

Nate Diaz is a mouth breather and an idiot. He basically admits himself he has no idea what he's doing.
There is zero doubt there.
He is 17-9 and yet only wants to fight big name, top 5 guys.
This week alone he missed weight and failed to show for an open workout.
This after a 13 month lay off and hold out.
Those things cost him money he says he doesn't have.

Professional fighters do not miss weight and skip media obligations.
They may hate the grind but they know it is part of the deal.

The fact you think one person's signing makes a difference in the careers of hundreds of others in some negative way pretty much indicates Nate Diaz is a member of mensa compared to you.

There are plenty of ways into the UFC including lower level orgs.
Most of those now have guys under contract and the UFC can only negotiate when the contract is up.

The UFC has went full on oversaturation mode and has 4 to 5 times as many events as they did just three years ago.
All this promotional crap is making more fights and spots on the roster not less.

UFC guys who put it all on the line have been getting more and more opps outside the cage as well.
Nate Diaz is a household name and if he had any professionalism could make a good living without ever fighting again.

I can agree with his qualms about low pay traditionally but his concerns of any signings are a joke.
He's mad people are signing for a job he doesn't want and has at times refused to do.

 

[Risen Star]

Ahh, I see. So this is another of your blowhard rants like how Travis Frederick was a LOL horrible reach in the first round in January but then he wasn't in May?

You said nothing that refuted what I said. And you can continue to preach like you know something but if it were you who lost his spot or had to see someone get paid more with zero qualifications you'd probably feel differently.

Any UFC fighter should feel the same way Nate Diaz does. He's just ballsy enough to say it in public.

 

[Risen Star]

Turn on UFC on Fox. Main event about to start. Tell me if you think Stipe Miocic is a dead ringer for Jason Witten. Even sounds a lot like him.

 

[Risen Star]

For those who care about the UFC. Not good.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/12/...-sue-ufc-for-100s-of-millions-in-class-action

 

[Doomsday]

I love how Diaz complains about the signing of CM Punk then goes out and misses weight by 4 pounds. Was fun watching him get lit up Sat night.

 

[jterrell]

I love how Diaz complains about the signing of CM Punk then goes out and misses weight by 4 pounds. Was fun watching him get lit up Sat night.

I like the Diaz brothers fighting spirit. And I agree with them that fighters should be paid more.
I just severely disagree with how they go about the business part of the sport.

I think their personality is helpful in selling fights and the UFC is certainly underpaying guys severely because they have no real competition as they buy everyone who comes close to competing out.

But end of the day you gotta man up and do what you are paid to do before complaining you need more pay.
That's the same deal as on any job.

I think the Diaz brothers would be wise to move over to Bellator or a competing org and see how it goes.
Maybe the money is better and the fights would definitely be easier.
But if we are being honest any guy who beat them would be making a call to Dana White asking for a job.

 

[jterrell]

I love how Diaz complains about the signing of CM Punk then goes out and misses weight by 4 pounds. Was fun watching him get lit up Sat night.

on a side note it was probably not a good look to complain about someone else being a real fighter and then go out and get beat like a rag doll in a performance likely as bad or worse than anything CM Punk will ever do in the UFC.

i am not into fake wrestling (since the days of the Von Erich's at least) and have zero doubt cm punk is a money grab.

but, yea, if you are gonna be the guy talking you need to back that up.
not fail miserably in every area and then make public excuses about injury.

watching him wince after every leg kick and RDA basically take it easy on him at times because it was so one-sided was almost painful.

i have never felt sorry for the guy before.
i saw Faber power through a similar leg kick nightmare but he showed a ton more heart and grit than Diaz last night.

the diaz brothers are very good boxers with a solid BJJ game but they can't wrestle and that is the key discipline in the sport.
without it they can not ever be truly elite.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

The lawsuit that Risen is referring to up there will be interesting to see how that plays out.

 

[jterrell]

The lawsuit that Risen is referring to up there will be interesting to see how that plays out.

For the NFL and other sports as well as the UFC to be honest.

All the major sports leagues essentially operate as a monopoly.

I am hopeful that we see a fighter's union for some mass representation but as we see with the NFL it doesn't mean a lot of good will come of it.
Each union is only as powerful as it's members and the UFC membership is constantly changing.