Ex-WWE superstar Phil “CM Punk” Brooks is no stranger to controversy. This time, it’s followed him into the realm of video games.
It all began when MMA Junkie reporter Mike Bohn tweeted some new info about EA Sports UFC 2, which releases in March. He noted that CM Punk — a former WWE superstar who’s spent the past year or so training to fight using The Real Punches in the UFC — has an in-game rating of 85/100.
Here’s first image of @CMPunk from the new EA UFC 2 video game. His character was rated 85 out of 100 when I played. https://t.co/E6Ifqanpxk
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) January 11, 2016
It’s not the highest rating the series has ever bestowed, but it’s pretty damn high for a dude who currently has a massive, abysmal zero MMA fights to his name. (For comparison’s sake, Martin Kampmann, a recently retired fighter with 27 fights, has the same in-game rating.) Punk’s UFC debut keeps getting pushed back, too — most recently due to a nasty shoulder injury. He’s no spring chicken, and at 37 years of age, he’s not getting any younger. Some pundits speculate that he’ll never make his debut at all, despite training with the extremely legit folks at Roufusport, where they do things like this legendarily insane kick on a semi-regular basis.
Many MMA fans feel like Punk’s deal with the UFC (despite his near-complete lack of training or any sort of amateur fighting background) cheapens the sport. When Brock Lesnar made the jump, these fans point out, he at least had a decorated NCAA wrestling career behind him. The idea of an aged, injury prone Punk stepping into the Octagon feels to many like a publicity stunt, a pugilistic circus act. His rating in EA Sports UFC 2 only adds insult to injury.
For what it’s worth, Punk seems to be taking his prospective UFC debut pretty seriously (as would most people who don’t love the idea of getting punched in the face until they’re unconscious or dead). Also, he claims it’s the UFC who was chomping at the bit to announce his signing. If he had it his way, they’d have waited until he was ready to fight for sure — rather than going through all this “will he, won’t he” hoopla.
I imagine Punk is pretty tired of all the keyboard warriors jawing at him by now, and it shows in his reaction to the whole EA Sports UFC controversy. His response to the incident was short but, uh, not exactly sweet. First, of his character’s announcement, he said:
Hey! This is cool. I hope it makes dummies furious. https://t.co/HpzbGzvX6i
— Coach (@CMPunk) January 11, 2016
Then, once everyone got super pissed, he decided to whip out a verbal middle finger:
Not since Samus Aran was revealed to be a woman have dummies been this butt hurt about a video game.
— Coach (@CMPunk) January 11, 2016
Dang, CM Punk. That’s cold. And probably inaccurate? But still: cold.
I reached out to EA, and a rep told me that Punk’s stats have not necessarily been finalised yet. We’ll see if they change in the next couple months.
Comments
18 responses to “CM Punk Says Fans Angry Over His Rating In The Next UFC Game Are ‘Butt-Hurt’”
This stats range randomly from 85 to ‘character not selectable’ thanks to injuries and/or old age.
So his stats are the same as Kampmann. Based on previous games, that means his stats are the same as the lowest ranked “known fighter”. Therefore, who cares.
Still can’t wait for this game. All the UFC games seem to be my palate cleanser game. Always keep going back to them constantly for a quick fix.
I’m infuriated!
I’ve struggled for years because I always create my character to reflect my actual physical capabilities. My FIFA character doesn’t even connect with the ball 90% of the time and he gasses out 30 seconds into the match, my UFC character bursts into tears after one leg kick*.
The nerve of a man who’s previously made his living pretending to be the world’s baddest man now having a video game depicting him as a competent fighter! It’s sickening.
*He still has a better guard-game than Conor McGregor
Your UFC character sounds like he’d have a better anything than Kalib Starnes, too.
Probably a worse running man. Have you seen hes at HW now? Mental.
No way man. Please see above post re: running.
Kalib can run for 15 minutes no problem.
Hahaha true! Man that Quarry fight was a disaster.
Punk clearly missed the Mass Effect 3 thing, then.
Also, the host of Grammar Slam should know better than to use stupid made-up words like ‘butt-hurt’.
You can’t even joke about the end of Mass Effect 3, it’s worse than 10 holocausts.
I meant casting Freddie Prinze Jr. as a voice. Why, what was wrong with the en… nah, I can’t ask that with a straight-face.
Meh, that was a storm in a tea-cup.
“Boo hoo, the gameplay is too mainstream.”
“Boo hoo the ending is too sci-fi and not a mainstream ride off into the sunset with your love interest.”
I think they put him on the roster purely so he didn’t end up going to Bellator or similar where they could easily find a complete can in a Walmart parking lot for him to dispose of. Then promoting him and using him as a bit of a showpony is just to keep the WWE fans on side since Lesnars return to the squared ring and to make sure their investment was somewhat worthwhile.
They know that if they get a COMPLETE nobody to fight him in the UFC it will be universally panned as it is supposed to be a sport with the best fighters in the world facing eachother, not a spectacle ala Pride when you had a 600lb Emmanuel Yardborough (RIP) fighting a little Japanese dude.
I miss Pride.
Signing him was petty-as-hell by the UFC.
They completely sacrificed any kind of moral higher ground to sign a bloke with near-zero athletic upside and no professional experience. Are they THAT scared of Bellator? Do they have so little faith in their own ability to market talent that they fear Bellator using low-rate circus fights to steal the Aldo’s and McGregor’s of the world from them?
I’ve thought for a while now that the UFC probably regrets it. Punk has been “gestating as a fighter” (getting older and even worse) so long that he’s missed the rise of McGregor and the peak of Ronda.
When they signed him in 2014 they seemed desperate for the star power but 2015 was a bumper year and they don’t need Punk or his circus right now.
I doubt they regret it. If anything they need him more now as a trump card to play due to Ronda’s peak and McGregor’s inevitable one, as a special attraction to draw people to a ppv.
I kinda think the whole saga is getting a bit long in the tooth. I see they have a fighter they are going to put him with should he win his first fight in the UFC. Hes 1-0 at present and like, props to the guy. I hope he gets his chance and takes it with both hands, but I foresee Punk injuring himself again and this just turning into a long slow death of the whole idea, and potentially the kids career if the UFC keeps him under contract and doesn’t let him fight for another year or so until Punk is healed.
It will be interesting to see how he does when/if he fights.
Meh, once he fights we’ll either see what he is all about… or we’ll never hear about him again. He really better be able to back up his words though… this is one sport where you can legally get beat up for being a dick lol
I think the most obvious, reasonable assessment we can make of his meaning is: “who cares?” Nice to try and turn it into a shit fight, though.