Matt Brown: I’ll fight CM Punk, after the fight
CM Punk: “What I have a problem with is CM Punk being dumb enough to think he can do it. If he wants to come fight a real man I’ll be standing there.”
On his FOX Sports Great MMA Debate podcast, UFC welterweight Matt Brown discussed the signing of Phil “CM ‘Chick Magnet’ Punk” Brooks. Brown offered a nuanced reaction, saying he was surprised not offended by the signing.
“I don’t have a problem with the UFC doing it,” said Brown as transcribed by David St. Martin for MMAFighting. “What I have a problem with is CM Punk being dumb enough to think he can do it. If he wants to come fight a real man I’ll be standing there. I’ll fight Tarec Saffiedine on [Feb. 14] and I’m the main event, everyone will be gone. I’ll fight him right after Tarec if he wants.”
“I thought the sport, the UFC, itself, was beyond that now. Bellator doing this, I could understand. I could see other organizations doing it. The UFC, I just didn’t expect it.”
“Hopefully what happens here is that all these keyboard warriors that are like, ‘Oh I could go in there and fight’ see that a legit athlete – CM Punk is an athlete – and they see him go in a get demolished by a prelim fighter or someone that also shouldn’t be in there and they’ll see this s— is a little more than what you think.”
Brown said that he won’t complain, as long as Brooks brings in asses in seats, and drew a parallel with UFC featherweight Conor McGregor.
“It’s unfortunate that it comes to that, where someone has only had four wins and maybe a fifth soon and they’re talking about a title shot,” said Brown. “I shouldn’t even say that. They’re talking about a title shot because of the way [McGregor] talks. It’s not because of what he’s done, really.”
Matt Brown faces Tarec Saffiedine on Feb. 14 in the main event at UFC Fight Night 60: Brown vs. Saffiedine in Broomfield, CO.