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One of the biggest pieces of news in MMA today is the possible UFC fight between retired undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr and former WWE superstar CM Punk. Talks regarding this potential encounter have been floated around since Floyd Jr. teased about the possibility of a transition into MMA, but the conversation grew louder when Jeff Mayweather spoke about it in a recent interview.
Many feel that this fight would actually make more sense, instead of having Mayweather fight Conor McGregor in a rematch. But on the contrary, there are also reasons why it should not be made, which we will be delving deeper into during this article.
#5 It puts MMA's credibility as a sport into question
In just 12 years of existence, Mixed Martial Arts has gone from being a mere gory spectacle to a legitimate sport which is enjoyed by fans across the world. However if the UFC make plans to genuinely push through with the Mayweather vs CM Punk fight, it's likely to return them to their "freakshow" roots and receive significant levels of criticism in the process.
Sure, it'll bring mass amounts of money into the company. But by doing so, it may also hurt the sport's credibility as a whole. Casual fans may warm to the idea, but the same cannot be said for diehards who have been following the sport for decades - then suddenly, there's an unwanted division between the audience.
Many of the sport's followers are already frustrated by their current matchmaking trends and finalising the finer details for this proposed mega-fight would see the situation worsen in the forthcoming months.
#4 By doing so, further hurts the UFC's reputation
Since WME-IMG took over the UFC in 2016, there have been more complaints than praises from most of the fighters on their current roster. Simply put, many of the UFC's big names have felt that the company has been driven more by making money than ensuring their actual needs are being fairly taken care of.
The "money-fight" era in the UFC is indeed in full swing and generally, it has not been accepted by both fans and fighters alike. The making of this fight would only add insult to injury, and could possibly turn off the audience more, as opposed to attracting more supporters across the world who may eventually become loyal followers.
#3 It's unfair to other fighters on UFC's current roster
Upon the announcement of CM Punk's signing in the UFC in late 2014, former lightweight title contender Nate Diaz was one of the most vocal fighters to speak against it. And quite frankly, the younger Diaz brother does have legitimate beef to settle as a result.
Giving Punk, who was back then a professional fighter (0-0) with no prior experience, a chance to fight under the world's most prominent MMA promotion on his debut is definitely an unfair deal to others. Considering just how much fighters have to do before being signed, it's understandable that many would be upset.
Having been outclassed by Mickey Gall during a first-round submission defeat, why should he get another big break after an embarrassing debut performance? The collective outrage from fighters would, again, not come as a surprise.
Although it may seem overzealous, there could potentially be a spike in the number of UFC fighters jumping ship to other promotion companies directly following this, namely athletes nearing the end of their respective fight contract deals.
#2 It sets a wrong precedent
It may be a sensible move to make for various reasons, but the reality is that the making of the Floyd Mayweather vs CM Punk fight in the UFC could only be a precursor for others to want to do the same. After all, who would not want to make an easy paycheck?
Similar to the previous reason, finalising this would foster the idea for other fighters - of genuine hype and popularity - that attaining high-profile fights is more about the money you'd be able to bring in, as opposed to the hard work.
It's bad enough that this appears to be the recurring trend in the UFC and MMA today as fighters often feel the need to "sell" their matches for supporters to have high expectations months in advance, though making this fight would only go a long way towards solidifying a dangerous mindset going forward.
As an old saying goes, "the love of money is the root of all evil," something which is beginning to prove blatantly true in the MMA realm today.
#1 If Floyd wins, the world will never hear the end of it
Mayweather fans will definitely be in a state of utopia if the future boxing legend would be able to do the unthinkable and win a UFC fight in his 40's. His detractors, on the other hand, will be experiencing precisely the opposite.
Humility is not exactly a Floyd Mayweather trait, and his braggadocio has already been off the charts since he assumed the "Money" persona in 2007. Imagine how his level of self-praise would increase if he managed to prove critics wrong once again on the big stage.
If Mayweather does end up taking on an MMA fight and wins, good for him. But it would signal the start of a rough time to deal with for his haters, who essentially comprise the majority of combat sports fans.
