During Saturday night’s UFC 181, the league announced it had signed the longest-reigning WWE Champion of the modern era. That is not Brock Lesnar, it’s Phil Brooks, widely known as CM Punk.
Reactions on Twitter ranged from the ecstatic to the contemptuous to the baffled.
UFC @ufc
Welcome to the UFC @CMPunk! See you in 2015!
Dave Sholler @Sholler_UFC
Welcome to the @UFC, @CMPunk! The Time is Absolutely Now!
Brett Okamoto @bokamotoESPN
Dana White on CM Punk: I don’t know if I’d call it freak show. That’s a little rude. He wanted to do this and we’re giving opportunity.
Michael Carroll @MJCflipdascript
Enjoy exploding, internet.
Dave Meltzer @davemeltzerWON
Oh my god it’s CM Punk. He’s in UFC. Not making this up.
Jon Bones Jones @JonnyBones
BREAKING NEWS: I’m headlining wrestlemania 31.
STORMIN NORMAN PARKE @norman_parke
He will get smashed.. Yes in the woman’s division..:)
Nick Newell @NotoriousNewell
Kind of cool that @CMPunk is going to fight. I can’t wait to read all the tweets of shitty 1-0 & 2-0 fighters calling him out.
michael @bisping
I see @cmpunk wants to kick ass, well he can kiss my ass! Welcome to the Ufc, let’s do this! @ufc @danawhite
Ronda Rousey @RondaRousey
WHA?!?!?! @CMPunk!!?!!!!?!! #cantwait
Nathan Diaz @NateDiaz209
@ufc @CMPunk Why?
Angela Magana UFC @AngelaMagana1
The CM PUNK announcement followed by that KO gave #YourMajesty a case of @AngieOverkill wrinkly fingers. #UFC181
Ben Askren @Benaskren
@ufc sign a fake wrestler, but not an Olympian who is the best WW in the world. Amateur move.
Danny Acosta @AcostaIsLegend
Herschel Walker, this is what happens in #MMA. CM Punk is no different. He’s just a lot better at promos than them.
Jeremy Lambert @jeremylambert88
Dana said he’ll treat Punk like any 0-0 fighter. So he’ll be on the prelims making 8/8 right?
Iain Kidd @iainkidd
Idea: CM Punk vs Joe Rogan. Admit it, you’d watch that.
Jonathan Snowden @mmaencyclopedia
For God’s sake y’all: Brock Lesnar was an NCAA champion. And was BROCK LESNAR. A freak athlete. Punk is a guy who has never competed. Ever.
Stephie D @CrooklynMMA
Dear Debbie Downers, Look at the CM Punk signing this way, it will make the UFC way more interesting than it’s been in the past year.
Marc Raimondi @marc_raimondi
How do you even treat CM Punk? Where do you put him on a card? Who do you give him to fight? I’m at a loss.
David Bixenspan @davidbix
Starting to wonder if the Baroni call-out was done with Punk’s knowledge. He’s targeting 170 & needs a can with a name
CagePotato.com @cagepotatomma
When your favorite Pride stars were crushing Japanese pro wrestlers, were you complaining about legitimate combat sports credentials?
Bryan Wiedey @pastapadre
If EA can get CM Punk into the UFC game, would get huge exposure. They’ve tried and failed to generate appeal needed for it to be successful
Ulysses Gomez @uselessgomez
At least Dana made Kimbo earn his way to the UFC by doing TUF. I dunno about this but I’m willing to see what happens
The Fight Nerd @TheFightNerd
Now that I have had more time to process this – OMFG CM PUNK IS IN THE UFC!!!!
Jeff Wagenheim @jeffwagenheim
I hope CM Punk is a real fighter, because he’s about to be in a real fight.
