He was not bigger, more over/more loved is the correct term. Brock crossed over as a star, his first UFC PPV bout drew 650K, in contrast to Punk's 450K. Keep in mind that was Brock's second lowest number in the UFC, while it was Punk's highest, taking in the fact that Brock was the sole main event of that event while Punk had Stippe/Overreem and Werdum/Browne as the two main events preceding him.
I didn't look up UFC numbers but UFC was far far hotter in 2007-09 than 2015-16 so weak comparison. Brock was pushed to moon in UFC from off whereas Punk was viewed as a joke by likes of Rogan too.
The question wasn't who became biggest star either question was which was biggest departure at the time, what happened 4-5 years later isn't really relevant imo.
Fact is Punk in 2011-14 was bigger star in WWE than Brock was in 2002-04. Brock was pushed by WWE sure but didn't draw at all at the time. He was mainevent of the lowest drawing Wrestlemania since 97 and nothing after WM19 drew as poorly
Brock's following PPVs drew consistently 1 million PPV buys while Punk's second and last drew an abysmal 250K.
Again with UFC lol. Look if you want
to debate who became biggest star post 5 years WWE that's Brock easy but WWE didn't make or lose money off it...
Also worth a mention, taped Smackdown in 2003 with Brock as champion drew as much ratings - if not more - than live Raws in 2011-2012 with Punk as champion
No shit FAR MORE people watched TV back in early 2000s than 2010s. Look at every other show, Survivor was doing 50 million viewers in early 2000s and less than 10 by 2010s, hell nothing on TV is doing numbers that they doing in 2000s, BBT finale at 18 million is most watched non NFL thing on TV past 5-6 years.
Lets compare attendance, revenue, merch sales in 2011-13 to 2003-04 shall we. Brock on top on SD drew fucking horrible attendance, often sub 1000 for houseshows, Punk houseshows were doing 5-6 times Brocks numbers on 2012-13...
People followed Brock in his ventures outside of wrestling, he had more name recognition with the casual audience that tune into wrestling every once in a while. Punk didn't have that reach, he had a cult following that adored and believed in him unlike Brock, but was never the star Brock was.
OK bit of a myth here. Not like people clamoured to watch Brock play NFL or his first venture into MMA, did anyone watch Brocks match vs Min So Kim...
Brock joined UFC in the middle of a boom bigger than the Attitude Era. He was unique in that first WWE guy most people ever saw UFC and was pushed right to top. Immediately getting world title in third match. Had Brock joined UFC a decade later when business was much lower and had to work prelim matches there isn't the same interest
But again we aren't talking what happened years later.
Brock, he was a way bigger star at the time, coming off a WWE title run, CM Punk after losing to the Undertaker at WM29 just drifted slowly down the card before he walked out.
No. After Taker he was in arguably biggest promoted match at Summerslam with Brock that got like 3 month build. After Brock he feuded with Wyatt and the hottest faction of the past 20 years in the Shield beating them 3 on 1. The same Shield who dominated Evolution 3-0 just a few months later...
