UFC President Dana White has revisited the uproar sparked by the revelation of WWE star CM Punk‘s UFC salary, describing how people went “crazy.”
In 2014, at the UFC 181 pay-per-view broadcast in Las Vegas, the confirmation of Phil “CM Punk” Brooks signing a multi-year deal took place, despite his absence of octagon experience. During the same year, Punk opted to part ways with WWE due to dissatisfaction with the creative direction although he returned just last year.
Although CM Punk’s stint in the UFC was relatively short-lived, the financial rewards were significant. Recently unsealed lawsuit details from 2017 disclosed that he received $500,000 for his debut fight in 2016, coupled with various add-ons, placing him at the pinnacle of the company’s pay structure. The total disclosed amount reached an impressive $1,042,736.
In a revealed conversation with an attorney, Dana White acknowledged the public’s strong reaction to Punk’s earnings. Here’s how that chat went down:
DW: “We had some guy that was – that was paid a certain amount of money and never – oh, the professional wrestler that we brought in. Not Brock [Lesnar], the other one.“
Attorney: “CM Punk?“
Dana White: “Oh, yeah. People went crazy when they saw what he got paid. Even the women.“
While the financial aspect stirred controversy, Punk undeniably contributed to the success of UFC 203 in September 2016, with the event generating a staggering reported revenue of $26,995,500.
What is the UFC record of WWE Superstar CM Punk?
In 2014, WWE Superstar CM Punk made a move to MMA by inking a multi-fight contract with the UFC. His inaugural UFC bout in 2016, facing Mickey Gall, concluded with a 2:14 submission defeat.
In 2018, he made another comeback to the octagon, this time squaring off against Mike Jackson. The match ended in a three-round unanimous decision initially awarded to Jackson but later overturned due to a positive drug test. With a UFC record of 0-2, Punk decided to retire from MMA.
The Straight Edge Superstar, however, decided to return to professional wrestling in 2021 when he made a comeback at AEW. Fast forward to 2023, Punk has returned to WWE following several backstage issues in AEW.
