CM Punk's run in the UFC was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
In 2016, Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, attempted to follow in the footsteps of Brock Lesnar and transition from the world of sports entertainment to the world of mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, he was unable to replicate the former UFC heavyweight champion's success and was completely manhandled by Mickey Gall in his Octagon debut at UFC 203.
Punk returned two years later, losing a unanimous decision to Mike Jackson, but the result was ultimately overturned to a no-contest when Jackson tested positive for marijuana.
Despite failing to light up the Octagon like he often does in a wrestling ring, CM Punk received a hefty payday to compensate for his lackluster performance. Punk's revealed paycheck for each match was a hefty $500,000, but according to Bloody Elbow's report (before he was sold and stripped of his former self), the “Second City Saint” It was revealed that he was actually saving more than $1 million for each appearance.
In the midst of Punk's history-making short stint, former flyweight champion Demetrius Johnson learned of Punk's bloated fight finances and was understandably annoyed. But instead of letting it eat away at him, “Mighty Mouse” chose to use it as motivation.
“A big spit in the face of all the champions,” Johnson said of Punk's UFC bounty on his YouTube channel. “At the end of the day, mixed martial arts is more of a popularity contest to make money than actual skill.
“A gentleman who earns $500,000 with 0 wins and 1 loss in mixed martial arts.” [per fight]. Obviously, he earned that money because of his wrestling history. I'm not going to lie to you guys, this left a bruise on my shoulder and a bad taste in my mouth. Because even though I've been doing mixed martial arts all my life, the most I've ever made in the UFC was about $380,000 plus $40,000. . It’s all public record” (h/t MMA Mania).
Demetrius Johnson looks back on CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson
“They're in an amateur league,” Johnson said, reviewing the Brooks vs. Mike Jackson fight. “They haven't yet honed their mixed martial arts skills enough to be on a stage like this. Every once in a while, there are fights that give people a chance to do something, and that's what you get. This is at the amateur level. belongs to the battle of [league]. But in WWE wrestling, I'm sure CM Punk will beat him. ”
Now 37 years old, Demetrius Johnson remains one of the greatest fighters on the planet. Sent to ONE Championship as part of a historic trade in 2018, “Mighty Mouse” won the flyweight title against Adriano Moraes at ONE in August 2022 on Prime Video 1. Including performance, he had a record of 5 wins and 1 loss in the circle. He has been successful ever since. He capped off the trilogy with Moraes in his critically acclaimed US debut at ONE Fight Night 10, defending the title.
Recently, Johnson returned to the mat at the 2024 IBJJF Pan Championships in Florida. There he took first place in the Master 2 featherweight division and later won a silver medal in the openweight tournament as well. In the process, “Mighty Mouse” defeated opponents who were 6'3″ tall and weighed 250 pounds, proving that size really doesn't matter when it comes to Jiu-Jitsu.
