Everything about CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson was ‘cringe-worthy’, including the commentary from Joe Rogan and Jimmy Smith.
That’s according to UFC fighter turned podcast host and analyst Brendan Schaub, who was highly critical of the references to Jackson’s ‘high-level’ striking at UFC 225.
“[My other problem] The commentators… Joe Rogan, one of my best friends, my brother. And even Jimmy Smith, those guys. When they would go, ‘Mike Jackson has high-level striking’,” Schaub said on a recent episode of Below The Belt, per BJPenn.com’s Drake Riggs.
“I think we have to be very careful, very careful not to throw around the term ‘high-level striking’. Trust me, a high-level striker would have beat CM Punk in under 30 seconds. It would not have been a competitive fight if any one of those two had some sort of high-level striking.
“That was the only cringe-worthy night…the only thing that made me go, ‘oh god!’. We got to be careful with that because if you’re a fan and you’re watching that and you go, ‘god, that’s high-level striking?’ No, it’s not.”
Despite Schaub’s criticism, Rogan, in particular, was highly critical of the action on display at UFC 225 and was clearly holding back some of his true thoughts on the matchup between Punk and Jackson. And, while Jackson may not exactly be a ‘high-level’ striker, ‘The Truth’ does have experience in boxing, having won Jackson’s Houston Golden Gloves title in 2011.
Punk, real name Phil Brooks, was outclassed by Jackson and lost a unanimous decision. Despite Jackson cruising to a decision, however, the 33-year-old was ridiculed by UFC president Dana White for not finishing the fight and is expected to be released from the promotion.
Punk, too, is expected to be released from the UFC after losing - badly - in both of his fights in the Octagon.