Many fighters and fight fans criticized the UFC’s placement of the 0-1 CM Punk on the main card of UFC 225. Punk’s spot pushed back the likes of Alistair Overeem on to the preliminary portion of the card, and Dana White is finally defending the UFC’s position on the matter.
Punk may only have a 0–1 professional MMA record, having lost by first-round submission to Mickey Gall in his MMA debut back at UFC 202, but the former WWE superstar is still a massive Pay-Per-View draw with crossover appeal between two sports.
White maintained that logic while explaining Overeem’s placement on UFC 225 in relation to Punk:(Via MMAMania)
Listen, when Alistair Overeem sells as many pay-per-views as CM Punk does, we can argue. If that’s the way you want to look at him, being ‘demoted’, what is Rashad Evans? What is (Anthony) Pettis? There’s guys that could be on the main card that are on the Fight Pass prelims.”
Punk will face fellow MMA neophyte Mike “The Truth” Jackson, who also lost his lone MMA fight to Gall by submission. Meanwhile, former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and perennial UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem will be taking a backseat as he takes on Curtis Blaydes on the undercard.
Fellow well-known and far more experienced UFC fighters Rashad Evans, Clay Guida and Ricardo Lamas join Overeem on the preliminary portion of the card while Punk takes a coveted main card spot.
Do you agree with White’s reasoning regarding Punk’s main card placement?
