UFC Fight Night Las Vegas reaction: Why it's time for fans to accept CM Punk
Mickey Gall beat Mike Jackson to set up a fight with the much maligned CM Punk. Jim Edwards writes why fans should just embrace him
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On Saturday night, Stephen Thompson scored the biggest win of his career when he defeated Johny Hendricks in the main event of UFC Fight Night Las Vegas. Whilst 'Wonderboy's' win was spectacular, the real story of the night had to the be the victory of UFC debutant, Mickey Gall, who claimed a 45-second submission victory over Mike Jackson and in doing so, wrote the next chapter of the ongoing CM Punk story.
Since the announcement of Punk signing to the UFC back in September 2014, media and fans alike have been critical of Punk, saying that his signing made a mockery of sport and that unlike the rest of the UFC roster, he hadn't earned his place in the organisation as he hadn't gone the traditional route of working his way through the amateur ranks and local professional organisations.
Branded as a publicity stunt, Punk was then called out by several seasoned fighters on the UFC roster including Cathal Pendred, Derek Brunson and even British MMA star Michael Bisping who challenged him only minutes after his signing was announced.
Whilst the aforementioned points about his total lack of MMA experience may be valid, it's worth remembering that Punk isn't exactly your standard 0-0 MMA fighter.
Punk, real name Phil Brooks, is a bonafide celebrity figure with a strong passionate following that he will bring with him from the professional wrestling scene. Much like Brock Lesnar did when he entered the UFC in 2009, Punk will bring a totally new set of eyeballs to the UFC product and that can only be a good thing for the growth of the sport.
With over 2.4 million followers on Twitter, that's more than any other UFC athletes on the current roster, and whilst his fellow fighters may complain of how he's been handed a spot on the roster, they should really be happy about the extra attention he will bring as a result of his presence.
It's likely that UFC 199 or UFC 200 will be where Punk finally makes his debut against Gall and it would be hard to argue against the fact that whatever card it is will likely do bigger pay-per-view numbers than it would have done without him there. As they say, 'all boats rise with the tide' and the fighters that share the card with Punk that night will likely benefit from the extra pay-per-view and gate revenue that the presence of the former WWE star will bring.
Importantly, we should also remember that Punk hasn't taken anyone's job with his desire to compete in MMA. With over 500 fights a year and more fight cards than any one person can possibly consume, it's not like the man is taking the spot of anyone else. If anything, he's creating additional opportunities for the globalisation of the sport with his worldwide appeal potentially opening up further opportunities to take the show on the road.
Punk has also inadvertently made newcomer Mickey Gall an instant star. After defeating Mike Jackson in just 45-seconds this past Saturday night, Gall then faced off with Punk inside the Octagon in a scene that undoubtedly will be replayed countless times before their eventual fight later on this year. Not even Conor McGregor can claim he had as much attention as Gall will have in his second fight in the organisation, and that's really all down to one man - CM Punk.
What lies ahead now is a few months of build up to the eventual showdown between Punk and Gall at UFC 199 or UFC 200. Those who haven't enjoyed Punk's understated presence in the organisation since September 2014 may just want to switch off now, as the media hype for his debut will no doubt go into overdrive now the match is set.
The alternative is you simply just embrace it for what it is. Whether you are a hater or a lover of CM Punk, one thing for sure is that his debut is going to be intriguing to say the least. Can a former WWE wrestler really train for just one year and get a victory in the leading fight organisation on the planet? Or will he crumble and be embarrassed like so many have predicted already?
To be honest, I have no idea, but I know that when he finally does enter the Octagon, I will be fixated, eyeballs glued to action and thankful of the spectacle and excited by the fight I'm about to bare witness to.
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