Former WWE superstar and UFC fighter CM Punk has found himself at the center of a heated debate over fighter pay. While some criticize his earnings, others, including UFC legend Chael Sonnen, have come to his defense.
It all began when former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson took to his YouTube channel to express his frustration with fighter compensation. Johnson accused the UFC and its president, Dana White, of underpaying him. But he didn’t stop there. Johnson also took a swipe at CM Punk, questioning the hefty paycheck the wrestling icon received for his UFC debut:
“Let’s look at CM Punk. This guy comes in and gets a base salary of $500,000. There were also potential pay-per-view bonuses and other financial incentives included in his contract. I had to defend the f**king belt times, and I couldn’t even get this.”
Chael Sonnen came to CM Punk’s defense
Enter Chael Sonnen, the outspoken UFC veteran. Sonnen stepped up to defend CM Punk, shedding light on the situation. He revealed that money wasn’t the driving force behind Punk’s decision to compete in the octagon. In fact, Sonnen claimed that CM Punk could have pocketed a staggering $2 million for his fight, but he settled for $750,000:
“He had the courage to [compete in the UFC], and then, out comes the payment, and that sent everybody over the edge… So now, you’ve got a guy with no experience, who has placement on a [main] card and who just made more money.” He said.
“Therefore, he’s a jerk, as opposed to understanding that he did not negotiate. As opposed to understanding that they were willing to give him $2 million, but they offered $750,000, and he said, ‘Yes,’ because it wasn’t about the money. It was a bucket list… these are all parts of the story that get left out.”
CM Punk’s UFC Journey
CM Punk’s foray into the UFC was brief. The 45-year-old stepped into the cage twice. His debut at UFC 203 ended swiftly, with Mickey Gall submitting him via rear-naked choke in the opening round. His second fight, against Mike Jackson at UFC 225, went the distance, but Jackson secured a unanimous decision victory. Later, the result was changed to a no-contest due to Jackson testing positive for marijuana.
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