Not a shocker that Punk is interested in MMA or that he'd want to work with UFC but plenty of shock that UFC would sign him to fight.

Punk has zero athletic credentials outside of being a professional wrestler and casual training. Has never fought at any level. Is 36 years old.

The backlash seems to be that UFC looks bad for signing a "celebrity" to fight.

Kimbo won in the ufc enough said. Of course CM punk doesn't have a huge pedigree of combat fighting. But he will bring eyes and I'm sure he can at least compete with some other tomato cans.

The UFC is so diluted and had some awful talent fighting in the prelims so why not cm punk?

Did anyone see how god awful Tito and Bonnar looked last month...

 

 

They should have gone the Kimbo route with Punk.  Put him on TUF, let non-WWE UFC fans (there are a lot of them) get to know him.  It gives him more time to get some high level training in & see where he's at skill wise compared to other entry level UFC guys.

 

I'm guessing the money they are paying him puts him out of prelim territory.  They need to get him exposure to make it worth their while so I got to think it's main card all the way for him.  A win against a can also doesn't do much for him.  For what it's worth, Chael believes he knows who the 1st opponent will be and thinks it will be a well known fighter and Punk will be the underdog (as he should be against basically any opponent).

 

 

Punk doesn't train or roll with guys in the Gracie camp often enough to worry about working his way up the ladder through the belting process, but read anything Rener Gracie has said about him. Punk has been rolling for years now, he's got a solid BJJ base to work from. If Punk had wanted to test for belts, he'd be further up the chain than he is now.

 

 

Ralek Gracie might disagree.  Since the signing became public, Ralek said this: "CM has a huge fan base but I'm not aware of any top level grappling creds that he has."

 

Even Renner has said that Punk is still new to BJJ but he could be very good (could being the key word).  They may have started training together a couple years ago but it would be 2 weeks straight, then nothing for 6 months so I don't know how solid that base would be given that kind of schedule.

 

Exactly my original point and hence why I said "no athletic credentials outside of wrestling and casual training".  Thank you for finding that quote.

  I have little doubt Punk would be good at it once fully dedicated but Im not sure there is anything in his past to indicate he'd have elite level skill.

 

Kimbo won in the ufc enough said. Of course CM punk doesn't have a huge pedigree of combat fighting. But he will bring eyes and I'm sure he can at least compete with some other tomato cans.

The UFC is so diluted and had some awful talent fighting in the prelims so why not cm punk?

Did anyone see how god awful Tito and Bonnar looked last month...

 

 

They should have gone the Kimbo route with Punk.  Put him on TUF, let non-WWE UFC fans (there are a lot of them) get to know him.  It gives him more time to get some high level training in & see where he's at skill wise compared to other entry level UFC guys.

 

I'm guessing the money they are paying him puts him out of prelim territory.  They need to get him exposure to make it worth their while so I got to think it's main card all the way for him.  A win against a can also doesn't do much for him.  For what it's worth, Chael believes he knows who the 1st opponent will be and thinks it will be a well known fighter and Punk will be the underdog (as he should be against basically any opponent).

 

I thought this too but theres too much risk in Punk losing early I think.  Even if he is destroyed in his first fight, they will have received one massive PPV buy rate for it.  Punk would actually do really well on TUF.  He'd be the star of the show, easily. 

If he fights a name it will be one who is so washed up that he will have a fighting chance.

I think it would be awesome if it was him and Sakuraba in Japan.

UFC needs Punk to win his first couple fights and become a legit draw.  Interest is fading in their product.  Revenues are stagnant or even declining.  Most of their main draws are either in limbo (GSP), have left the sport (Lesnar) or have come to the end of their prime and will no longer draw like they used to (Silva).

He'll get killed but he's athletic. He wants to go down to 170 lbs & fight at that weight. He'll have to be super fast because every good fighter I've seen at that weight is just that, super quick & fast. Being 36 & starting out is a huge handicap. I figure he'll do it for a year or two & go back to pro wrestling. Maybe even back to WWE & make peace with Vince & Triple H. I wouldn't count Punk out but I just can't see him lasting too long.

The most recent stuff I've read says he'll fight at 185. I don't think he stands a chance against anybody currently on the UFC roster, but I've obviously never seen him fight (b/c he hasn't), so I can't say for sure.

On Saturday he said he was going to try making a cut to 170. If that goes well, that's the weight he'll fight at.

The low end guys in the ufc he can most definitely beat... The drop off of skills from the top to the bottom is ridiculous.

Don't forget the bottom end guys in the ufc still work day jobs and can't dedicate 100% for training.

My other point of bringing in a retread who is so over the hill is also a possibility.

I am sure nearly anyone who is in shape with the most basic of skills on these boards could probably beat Stephen Bonner these days.

Look at Kimbo... He managed to best some jobbers with barely any skills.

He wants to do a practice cut but I'm not sure 170 will work. He said middleweight or welterweight for sure.

He burned his bridges big time with wwe. But Vince being vince, he said he'd welcome him back.

The low end guys in the ufc he can most definitely beat... The drop off of skills from the top to the bottom is ridiculous.

Don't forget the bottom end guys in the ufc still work day jobs and can't dedicate 100% for training.

My other point of bringing in a retread who is so over the hill is also a possibility.

I am sure nearly anyone who is in shape with the most basic of skills on these boards could probably beat Stephen Bonner these days.

Look at Kimbo... He managed to best some jobbers with barely any skills.

 

 

Until he actually gets in there and shows some skill, then you can't really say that he can beat anyone.  The low level UFC guys are still at a much higher level than 95% of the guys we'd see fighting at a CFC show.  He can't rely just on his athleticism because at those weight classes, everyone is a pretty good athlete.  That's why Dana is talking about having him fight someone else just starting out rather than a guy with experience.  It's an awkward situation for the UFC.  Bringing in a nobody doesn't add any credibilty to Punk & people will ask why they are paying to watch a such a low level fight.  Have him beat up a Bonner-type guy and people will say anyone could have done that.  Put him against someone legit and he gets killed.  Other than ratings, there's not a lot to gain for the UFC.

 

As far as the Kimbo comparison goes....It's not like Punk is fighting at heavyweight where you can get by with just one punch KO power like Kimbo did (even saying he "got by" is an overstatement though).  Kimbo's only UFC win was by decision a blown up light heavyweight who ran the whole time because he was scared to get hit.  His other 3 "wins" are outside the UFC & are against Bo Cantrell (a lot of people believe Cantrell took a dive), a 43 year old Tank Abbott, and a weak ref stoppage against James Thomson who's cauliflower ear exploded.  So it's not really comparable to Punk (IMO) because at least people knew what they were getting from Kimbo between those fights & his time on TUF.

He burned his bridges big time with wwe. But Vince being vince, he said he'd welcome him back.

 

And that's why they say never say never in wrestling right?  Vince probably sees this as free advertising for the WWE and knows there's still money to be made with Punk.

 

He burned his bridges big time with wwe. But Vince being vince, he said he'd welcome him back.

 

And that's why they say never say never in wrestling right?  Vince probably sees this as free advertising for the WWE and knows there's still money to be made with Punk.

 

Vince is a dollar & cents guy (except for Randy Savage who he refused to do business with).  But when Vince says "Punk will regret many of the things he said" you can be sure he wasnt very happy.  But Vince also likes guys that stand up to him.  Guys who left end up with better deals.  Hunter on the other hand is petty and ego-driven and if Vince dies, Punk aint coming back.  WWE will definitely make Punk an offer at some point that will likely include WrestleMania main event but Punk would have to swallow his own vow to come back and I think that will be difficult for him.  But I also know he doesnt really care what people think so if he breaks his vow he wont care.  He's actually sort of a **** to the fans in many ways.

 

UFC might get a double dose of WWE as Brock's contract is up in early April and he's hinted at a return to UFC.

O I think he will never amount to much... But the bottom of ufc barrel is still beatable for a new guy.

I say they match him with Dos Caras

O I think he will never amount to much... But the bottom of ufc barrel is still beatable for a new guy.

I say they match him with Dos Caras

Dos Caras is 63 years old!

He wants to do a practice cut but I'm not sure 170 will work. He said middleweight or welterweight for sure.

He burned his bridges big time with wwe. But Vince being vince, he said he'd welcome him back.

Yeah but Paul Levesque (Triple H) wouldn't. 

He wants to do a practice cut but I'm not sure 170 will work. He said middleweight or welterweight for sure.

He burned his bridges big time with wwe. But Vince being vince, he said he'd welcome him back.

Yeah but Paul Levesque (Triple H) wouldn't.

Hunter is definitely petty and arrogant in a way Vince isn't. I firmly believe it was Hunter's call to serve Punk his termination papers ln his wedding day since he texted him two days earlier and Punk said I'll get back to you after the wedding.

Hunter has a lot working against him as far as taking over the company. Being perceived as petty doesn't help. Hopefully he will lighten up as he ages and gains more control.

IMO   this will all be and depend on who they put him in with.

 

At 185 put him in with Anderson Silva...  That will last about 15 seconds before Silva kicks his face in.

 

At 170..... Either of the top 2 guys will absolutely destroy him in minutes. Or maybe if GSP comes back throw him in with GSP.... And GSP will smash him to the ground straight away and knee and elbow him into oblivion.   

Cathal Pendred claims he's getting the fight.  He's a Welterweight with an MMA record of 15-2-1 (2-0in UFC)

That's actually about as fair of a fight you can give him, if you're going by current UFC fighters.  He was on a previous season of TUF so a lot of UFC fans (not so much the casual viewers maybe) will know who he is.  Has a nice record but isn't much of a threat (submissions, wrestling or striking).  Most of his wins are by decision (8 of 15) and most of his fights are against low level guys.

 

O I think he will never amount to much... But the bottom of ufc barrel is still beatable for a new guy.

I say they match him with Dos Caras

Dos Caras is 63 years old!

 

 

I meant the Jr... the one who was knocked out silly by Mirko Crocop

 

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Alberto-Rodriguez-2269

Punk has always been a bit of a lone wolf. He didn't feel the WWE was pushing his career in the right direction so he quit. I think he knows now his future in pro wrestling lies in ROH or TNA  if he comes back. Especially if Vince is out of the picture. 

Punk has always been a bit of a lone wolf. He didn't feel the WWE was pushing his career in the right direction so he quit. I think he knows now his future in pro wrestling lies in ROH or TNA if he comes back. Especially if Vince is out of the picture.

Not a chance. Maybe (big maybe) he'd do ROH for old time sake but I doubt it. He's very goal oriented. Wrestle mania or bust. If anyone had a shot at him it might be New Japan but I still don't see it.

Punk is right that WWE booking sucks but his alternate ideas were no better (three way with Cena and Rock) and self serving. He's just an angry sh!t-disturber albeit a very talented one.

Dos Caras Jr., Alberto El Patron is out of his weight class. If they wanted to stunt cast id ask Kurt Angle if he could cut to 180.

Anyone see him on off the record?

 

Bit of a freaking goof this Punk guy is. Im not a fan nor do i watch the WWE but i kinda new who this guy was and i figured he get a beating in the UFC.

 

I think as suggested on the show and from what Dana has said hes going to put him up against a nobody to see how he does because if he puts him up against anyone with experience in the UFC hes going to get killed fast.

 

Either way i think hes going to get his face beat in. 

He is honest to fault. Loved he called Lansberg out that's exactly the type of guy he is.