UFC "made the surprise announcement Saturday night that it has signed CM Punk, one of the biggest stars in pro wrestling in the last decade, to a multi-fight contract," according to Todd Martin of the L.A. TIMES. CM Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, will fight "at either middleweight or welterweight" starting in '15. His MMA debut "is likely to be a huge box office attraction but it remains to be seen what kind of staying power he will have in the sport" (L.A. TIMES, 12/7). ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto noted the promotion "announced the signing during its UFC 181 pay-per-view broadcast Saturday night." UFC President Dana White said of Brooks, "He wanted to fight here. He wanted to give it a shot, so we gave him an opportunity. ... [Brooks] is going to fight a guy who is 1-0, 1-1, 2-1 -- something like that" (ESPN.com, 12/6). In Houston, Jeremy Botter noted Brooks "left the WWE nearly a year ago amid an acrimonious split" (CHRON.com, 12/6).
PUNK SCENE: In Orlando, Jay Reddick noted Brooks "has never competed in mixed martial arts before," but has "been a consistent presence at ringside for UFC shows, especially since he left the WWE in January." The announcement of Brooks' signing "immediately divided fighters, journalists and fans." The move "certainly earned instant publicity for UFC -- as of midnight" on Saturday, the Brooks story "was the No. 7 headline on ESPN.com, even on a busy night of college football" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 12/7). YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole noted the news "was met with decidedly mixed reaction, as Brooks well knew would be the case." It is "a bold move and there is hardly any guarantee that Brooks can pull it off." Many are "blasting him and the UFC for creating a freak show." But the UFC "is a business and the owners and the fighters are in it to make money." Brooks is "a magician with the microphone and knows how to promote a fight better probably than anyone on the roster." Some "will say that the UFC is ruining the integrity of the sport, but that's a ridiculous notion." Iole: "If he helps to sell more pay-per-views, isn't that a good thing?" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/7). In Las Vegas, Case Keefer wrote everyone involved with UFC "was positive about the signing," and White "bristled at the notion of Brooks fighting serving as a 'freak show'" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 12/7). Brooks said that he "avoided social media on Saturday night because he expected negative feedback from fans not happy a fighter with zero experience landed a UFC deal" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/8).
STAR SEARCH: USA TODAY's Ben Fowlkes writes Brooks' lack of MMA experience "normally isn't considered qualification enough to earn someone a shot in the world's top MMA promotion." But these "aren't normal times for the UFC." The organization "seems to be looking for the same instant popularity boost it got" from another former WWE fighter, Brock Lesnar. But Lesnar "was an NCAA national champion" with a combat sports base "to build from." Brooks "has none of that." What Brooks has "is a name -- even if it's not his real one -- and a fan base." The question is whether UFC "can court potential viewers without alienating existing fans" (USA TODAY, 12/8).
