CM Punk: If it was up to me, I’d be the first fight at UFC 225

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Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
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In September 2016, former WWE superstar CM Punk made his UFC debut against Mickey Gall. The fight’s outcome went like how many had expected it, with Punk losing, and losing badly.

But even after being forced into submission by Gall via rear-naked choke within the first half of the opening round, Punk was still given a second chance by the UFC. Additionally, he was given a main card slot at UFC 225, which takes place in front of his home crowd in Chicago.

The mere fact that the 39-year-old Punk was granted another fight in the UFC had already drawn many criticisms, the pay-per-view booking surely did not pacify some of his detractors. But if he were the man in charge, he…


CM Punk: If it was up to me, I’d be the first fight on Fight Pass at UFC 225
 
Last edited:

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
3,959
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Really hard to dislike this guy.
Lorenzo admitted himself that Punk said he should try a few indy fights first, but Lorenzo said the money is in his first fights.
Lorenzo then flew into Chicago (with Dana) to talk Punk into it & did with a lot of money.

Personally, I think putting punk's second fight on Fox would make sense
That could draw huge ratings since he will bring a lot of WWE viewers that are not used to PPV buys in 2018.

He was worth about 150k in buys according to UFC projections last time
If he is worth 50k now, that is $1.75m+ for UFC, so I get it (plus add in Chicago is almost sold-out due to him)

But the amount of eyes on a free Fox card would be huge & can go a long way to showing there is interest on TV for names
 

Chromium

Posting Machine
Oct 10, 2016
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Lorenzo admitted himself that Punk said he should try a few indy fights first, but Lorenzo said the money is in his first fights.
Lorenzo then flew into Chicago (with Dana) to talk Punk into it & did with a lot of money.

Personally, I think putting punk's second fight on Fox would make sense
That could draw huge ratings since he will bring a lot of WWE viewers that are not used to PPV buys in 2018.

He was worth about 150k in buys according to UFC projections last time
If he is worth 50k now, that is $1.75m+ for UFC, so I get it (plus add in Chicago is almost sold-out due to him)

But the amount of eyes on a free Fox card would be huge & can go a long way to showing there is interest on TV for names
This is the same company that still thinks 12 PPVs a year is a good idea when half of them can't even beat 250k. Either they don't understand the benefit of using their broadcast television platform to draw in curious viewers and make new fans, or they simply don't give a fuck.
 

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
3,959
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This is the same company that still thinks 12 PPVs a year is a good idea when half of them can't even beat 250k. Either they don't understand the benefit of using their broadcast television platform to draw in curious viewers and make new fans, or they simply don't give a fuck.
I explained the PPV thing in the PPV thread
It was not what UFC said (if you read the source material)

but I agree Punk on TV would be huge
 

Chromium

Posting Machine
Oct 10, 2016
825
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I explained the PPV thing in the PPV thread
It was not what UFC said (if you read the source material)

but I agree Punk on TV would be huge
The fact that they're still even doing this in 2018 is what I meant, really. They should have started pulling back years ago. Since the start of the Fox deal, even in their best years they'd have at least two cards falling under 200k that seemed like completely wasted opportunities to me. They could have negotiated to put their third-tier PPV shows on Fox instead as an a la carte deal (and they've done a la carte deals for FS1 content), but they didn't.
 

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
3,959
6,760
The fact that they're still even doing this in 2018 is what I meant, really. They should have started pulling back years ago. Since the start of the Fox deal, even in their best years they'd have at least two cards falling under 200k that seemed like completely wasted opportunities to me. They could have negotiated to put their third-tier PPV shows on Fox instead as an a la carte deal (and they've done a la carte deals for FS1 content), but they didn't.
They couldn't pull back until 2019. They were locked into deals since the sale.
 

kneeblock

Drapetomaniac
Apr 18, 2015
12,435
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For people who struggle to understand what privilege is, CM Punk in the UFC embodies it. Thankfully, he checks his privilege and recognizes that he has unearned advantages so it has nothing to do with him as a person, but rather about the system that encloses and favors him.
 

Ted Williams' head

It's freezing in here!
Sep 23, 2015
11,283
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At the end of the day, the guy went to a legit camp, got beat up everyday for a year or so probably, kept coming back, signed the contract, made the walk, got his ass kicked, got humiliated, had the internet goofing on him for a year and half, and has now signed up to do it all over again.

This is a man with heart and determination, a man who takes risks and challenges himself, and that commands respect IMO.
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
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At the end of the day, the guy went to a legit camp, got beat up everyday for a year or so probably, kept coming back, signed the contract, made the walk, got his ass kicked, got humiliated, had the internet goofing on him for a year and half, and has now signed up to do it all over again.

This is a man with heart and determination, a man who takes risks and challenges himself, and that commands respect IMO.
 

Ted Williams' head

It's freezing in here!
Sep 23, 2015
11,283
19,102
For people who struggle to understand what privilege is, CM Punk in the UFC embodies it. Thankfully, he checks his privilege and recognizes that he has unearned advantages so it has nothing to do with him as a person, but rather about the system that encloses and favors him.
I think that's kind of a screwy example of "privilege", at least in terms of equating it to white privilege.

When a person achieves a level of celebrity, there are more opportunities that open up to them, but that person still achieved the celebrity status. We're talking about a venue where the ultimate goal is to sell tickets and PPVs. And if you've worked your way into a position where you can sell those PPVs, that's not a "privilege" that's been given to you. Conor can jump into a fight with Mayweather because it'll sell. If Lebron James suddenly decided he wanted to fight in the UFC, he'd be co-maining or even main eventing a PPV.

Shaq makes more money selling and endorsing products now that he did playing basketball. He got to star in movies and release rap albums. Was he a great business mind, actor or rapper? Of course not. So is that privilege, too?
 

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
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I think that's kind of a screwy example of "privilege", at least in terms of equating it to white privilege.

When a person achieves a level of celebrity, there are more opportunities that open up to them, but that person still achieved the celebrity status. We're talking about a venue where the ultimate goal is to sell tickets and PPVs. And if you've worked your way into a position where you can sell those PPVs, that's not a "privilege" that's been given to you. Conor can jump into a fight with Mayweather because it'll sell. If Lebron James suddenly decided he wanted to fight in the UFC, he'd be co-maining or even main eventing a PPV.

Shaq makes more money selling and endorsing products now that he did playing basketball. He got to star in movies and release rap albums. Was he a great business mind, actor or rapper? Of course not. So is that privilege, too?
That is an excellent & well thought-out post
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
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For people who struggle to understand what privilege is, CM Punk in the UFC embodies it. Thankfully, he checks his privilege and recognizes that he has unearned advantages so it has nothing to do with him as a person, but rather about the system that encloses and favors him.
Are you talking white privilege?
 

kneeblock

Drapetomaniac
Apr 18, 2015
12,435
23,026
I think that's kind of a screwy example of "privilege", at least in terms of equating it to white privilege.

When a person achieves a level of celebrity, there are more opportunities that open up to them, but that person still achieved the celebrity status. We're talking about a venue where the ultimate goal is to sell tickets and PPVs. And if you've worked your way into a position where you can sell those PPVs, that's not a "privilege" that's been given to you. Conor can jump into a fight with Mayweather because it'll sell. If Lebron James suddenly decided he wanted to fight in the UFC, he'd be co-maining or even main eventing a PPV.

Shaq makes more money selling and endorsing products now that he did playing basketball. He got to star in movies and release rap albums. Was he a great business mind, actor or rapper? Of course not. So is that privilege, too?
Yes, that's it exactly. Unearned status in one (or any) venue because of an overinflated valuation by the enclosing system.
 

Yossarian

TMMAC Addict
Oct 25, 2015
13,489
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For people who struggle to understand what privilege is, CM Punk in the UFC embodies it. Thankfully, he checks his privilege and recognizes that he has unearned advantages so it has nothing to do with him as a person, but rather about the system that encloses and favors him.
It's not privilige my friend. He earned that notoriety with years of hard work in the WWE.