UFC 225 is a stacked card almost from top to bottom, which is a rarity in today’s UFC. Anchoring down the PPV main card is CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson, two 0-1 fighters that have both lost to the upstart Mickey Gall, who undoubtedly on the big stage because of Punk’s WWE star power. This doesn’t sit right with Joe Rogan, who ranted about the matchup once again on his show, The Joe Rogan Experience.
“It shouldn’t even be on the ‘Tuesday Night Contender’ show,” Rogan said. “It should be in some amateur event somewhere. That’s really what they are. They’re guys learning how to compete. They’re in the first fight on the pay-per-view. That’s f*king crazy.”
But with the news of ESPN’s UFC programming coup coming in at $1.5 billion in value, what Rogan doesn’t seem to understand is that his new bosses, WME-IMG, are all about making money. That’s why Punk is there. Even Punk is aware of his unique circumstances as a star, fighting in a cage that many will never get near.
Rogan continued:
“He’s now fighting a fighter who’s commensurate in talent and there’s nothing wrong with being a beginner in martial arts, but there’s something wrong with thinking you can be a beginner and fight Mickey Gall. It was a foolish venture. My approach to it was this is going to be a very good lesson for people who are fans of positive thinking and they think that’s enough. That s–t is not enough. If you weigh 110 pounds, you can positive-think your way to the bank, Francis Ngannou’s still going to punch your brains out. There’s just no way around it. (Transcription h/t MMA Nytt)
He’s not wrong, but since Joe Rogan is concerned about the health of the sport, hopefully he starts talking about how MMA fighter wages have stagnated to a standstill in recent years. If anything, Punk’s appearance on the card will only draw more eyeballs and thus, make the fighters under him (and above) make a whole lot more money.
(Via Bloody Elbow)
