CM Punk's UFC 225 Fight A Huge Pay-Per-View Flop

More bad news for 'Chick Magnet' Phil Brooks.

by Andy H Murray
Mike Jackson Cm Punk Ufc 225 14
USA Today

UFC 225 was a massive box office flop for the mixed martial arts organisation, reportedly scoring less than 150,000 pay-per-view buys despite a stacked card.

Headlined by Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker's non-title split decision victory over Yoel Romero, the main card also featured an Interim Welterweight Title fight, and was opened by former WWE Champion CM Punk vs. fellow 0-1 fighter Mike Jackson.

Punk was destroyed. He scored an opportunistic first-round takedown on Jackson, but again looked well out of his depth, with his opponent openly clowning him from full mount in the second and third rounds. Jackson could have finished the fight at several points, but coasted to a lopsided 30-26 unanimous decision victory instead.

Advertisement

That UFC 225 drew so poorly is a huge surprise, not only because it presented an all-star lineup, but because Punk's presence on UFC 203 reportedly added an estimated 125,000-225,000 extra buys in September 2016.

Many factors will have contributed to 225's demise, but the cratered numbers suggest that any morbid curiosity PPV-buying fans had in Punk fighting died the moment he was submitted by Mickey Gall, and with Dana White confirming his UFC departure, the future looks uncertain.

Advertisement
In this post: 
CM Punk
 
Posted On: 
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.