Jim Ross Comments On CM Punk's UFC Signing

Calls Dana White a "brilliant promotional strategist."

by Jay Anderson
Good Ol' J.R. is the latest to add his two cents, or more, on the big news from this past weekend in the MMA world: the signing of former WWE champ CM Punk by the UFC. Ross, the former WWE commentator who was recently seen doing play-by-play for Battlegrounds MMA in October next to Chael Sonnen, stated on his blog that the move
"is another testament to the brilliant promotional strategist White."
Why?
"When one's former company - WWE - is in more than 150 countries in multiple languages, then one of their top and most popular stars is going to be known around the world, which makes Punk a highly marketable fighter - at worst, one time"
He calls the signing of Punk a no-lose situation, and suggests that we might see Punk's training leading into his debut chronicled on Fox and other UFC outlets. Think about it: a behind the scenes look at a high profile fighter preparing for his first UFC appearance. That's a package Fox and the UFC could easily use to draw ratings and interest to Punk's debut - not that there isn't a ton of interest already. This is the sort of thinking that the UFC could really use, and if the UFC aren't already planning a behind-the-scenes documentary package like this, they should. They need to sell Punk to the MMA fanbase (and perhaps to doubtful WWE fans as well), and this would be the perfect way to do it.
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.