So the funny thing about this entry is that having a business- in this instance, a chain of sandwich shops- endorse a fighter is nothing new. It's been done for years, and so it made sense enough that Jimmy John's would approach someone like Brock Lesnar to fly the banner of their company whenever he competes. However, while this works in boxing, mixed martial arts, etc., it does not generally hold true for wrestling. CM Punk explained this in his recent appearance on Colt Cabanna's Art of Wrestling podcast, in that following his famous "Pipe Bomb" address on Monday Night Raw, he actually had people ready to sponsor him. Punk goes on to say he wanted to sport a look akin to an MMA fighter with trunks and endorsements spread across, allowing him (and potentially others in the locker room who might be able to follow suit) more money... and WWE shot it down. Which is why it's been interesting to see Brock Lesnar in the WWE with such endorsements spread across his person. One can assume that these deals were signed and inked while Brock was a part of Ultimate Fighting Championship and somehow managed to carry over when he made his return, but there's no question of how out-of-place the Jimmy John's logo looks on a WWE program as a result of the company's strict rules against their talent earning an honest buck. Of course, this is no slight to Jimmy John's- due to the above, any logo used for endorsement looks out of place in a WWE ring. It just so happens that theirs is the one which has been featured most prominently. Side note: How pissed do you think Subway is at Vince over this whole thing, after all the spots they've done together?
Former Nintendo Power writer, current Nintendo Force writer. Wrote the book on Mega Man (The Robot Master Field Guide). Was once fired by Vince McMahon. Dabbles in video games, comic books, toys, and fast food curiosities. Once had a new species of exotic bird named after him. It died.
You can find more of his writings, musings, and other such things on his websites at Nyteworks.net.
