Jim Ross Calls CM Punk A "Well Conditioned Kimbo Slice"

Good Ol' JR keeps it real

Jim Ross might be best known for his decades of work as a pro wrestling announcer, most notably during the WWE's Attitude Era, but make no mistake: he's a knowledgeable sports fan, and a knowledgeable MMA fan as well - going the next step and taking on broadcasting duties a while back at Battlegrounds MMA, alongside Chael Sonnen. Ross, who is now working for New Japan, as well as calling boxing events for CBS, recently sat down with Yahoo Sports for a Q&A, and of course, the subject of CM Punk came up. When asked if he felt Punk's move to MMA was the right decision, Ross was straightforward:
Yes, because he was miserable with the WWE. He could have probably went on to do something else in wrestling if he chose to. But he seemed as if when he left it was cathartic for him. He's a very introspective guy with a high IQ who seemed to be more at peace leaving the turmoil of the WWE behind. But it has kind of followed him with the lawsuit with the WWE and the injuries that have postponed his UFC debut.
Okay, so he's a smart guy who didn't seem to realize that pro wrestling would follow him forever (as evidenced by several blowups in interviews focusing on his wrestling past). And leaving a job he was unhappy in was cathartic. That seems like common sense, but Good Ol' JR would then elaborate some.
What kind of career he will have? I'm not so sure. He's an attraction. A well conditioned Kimbo Slice, if you will.
And that's JR calling a spade a spade. CM Punk is an attraction, as much as he wants to contend that his jump to MMA is not a publicity stunt. For Punk, he's 100% serious, and that's very true - but for the UFC, it's all about publicity at this point. As long as people are talking about the former WWE champion, their investment pays off. Mind you, with his debut continually being pushed back, the shine as come off a little - but nonetheless, he remains an attraction. However, comparing him to Slice - who is coming off one of the ugliest MMA fights in history at Bellator 150 - is a bit of a backhanded compliment, especially given that Punk (at least until we see him fight) might just be the only fighter less rounded than the Youtube brawler. As for Punk's future in the fighting game?
He's so good at wrestling, there's no reason that he can't eventually circle around and come back, if he wanted to. He'll never have a problem finding work but his window to try new things like the UFC is small. Until he proves that he's a skilled fighter, his cache is his reputation as a pro wrestler with the WWE. Brock Lesnar was the same way until he proved he could kick some ass.
Realistically, it doesn't seem likely that Punk would ever return to the WWE, but never say never, since even Bret Hart went back. As for Ross' own future, he noted that he'd love to call MMA some more. Maybe some day, we'll witness him calling Punk's action in the cage.
Contributor
Contributor

Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.