CM Punk Signs With The UFC

The UFC has signed Phillip Jack Brooks aka CM Punk (nothing against him, but I am not calling any person by their alias). This signing is a move that will divide fans. Some are excited. Some are mad. Some are confused. Good for Phillip Jack Brooks though. It is a brave decision to decide to fight. Especially against some of the best in the world. He is no longer working as a professional wrestler and needed a job. This is a great opportunity for him. People are only as valuable as what they are able to negotiate. This signing does bring up some topics of discussion about the UFC though. Let’s look at a few of the angles.  

Sports Angle

-From a fighting perspective Phillip Jack Brooks instantly becomes the worst fighter in whatever division he decides to fight in. He is currently 36 years old and does not have a traditional martial arts background. He has never taken an amateur or professional fight. There are literally hundreds of fighters in the world who could beat him. The UFC decided to give him a roster spot instead of someone more deserving. They will probably have to give other undeserving fighters a roster spot in order to create match-ups for Phillip Jack Brooks. To his credit though, he has been training jiu-jitsu and MMA for a little bit and will have access to some world class coaching, trainers, and partners before his first fight.

Business Angle

-The UFC has tried to position itself as a sports entity for many years. They have tried hard to go from niche sport to mainstream sport. The UFC is not a sport though. It is a business. Mixed martial arts is a sport. The signing of Phillip Jack Brooks should make this clear. He is a celebrity with great name recognition. The UFC is hoping he will be able to bring in professional wrestling fans and casual fans. They want to sell merchandise and they want to sell pay-per-views. Phillip Jack Brooks can do that. He is a great personality with even better microphone skills. He will be able to advertise himself and the UFC better than most fighters on the UFC roster.

Marketing Angle

-I wrote about how the UFC has a marketing problem a couple of weeks ago. Here is the link: http://dspeaker.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-ufc-has-marketing-problem.html. The Phillip Jack Brooks signing increases my argument. The UFC is hoping Phillip Jack Brooks will become a star a la Brock Lesnar. These are two completely different people though. Brock Lesnar had an amazing amateur wrestling background, fought before entering the UFC, and was an amazing athlete. The type of athlete the UFC had never seen before. Phillip Jack Brooks holds none of those attributes. Make no mistake. This signing is all about marketing. The UFC does not expect him to compete for a championship. They expect him to increase interest and viewership and sell a bunch of Reebok “CM Punk” gear.  

I have nothing against Phillip Jack Brooks. I am not a professional wrestling fan, but I actually like him as a person. I have seen some interviews with him and he is a likable, well-spoken person. This move smells of desperation though. The UFC tries to act as if it only employs the best fighters in the world, but that is false. They are in denial. They only employ some of the best fighters in the world. People should relax though. Having Phillip Jack Brooks take a few fights in the UFC will not soil the product. Love it or hate it, this is happening.