MMAPayout.com has learned that based on early returns, UFC 91 is expected to exceed 800,000 pay-per-view buys, but will likely fall short of the one million buy benchmark. Indications from the early numbers trickling in from the disparate pay-per-view universe suggest that the event will finish in the 800,000 – 900,000 buy range.
While short of the company’s public predictions in excess of one million buys, a number in that range would have to be considered a homerun, particularly given the current economic environment. The number is in-line with the baseline set by MMAPayout.com in September.
Last week Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that based on the numbers he had recieved, the event appeared to have beaten UFC 61 and that there were places where it was running only slightly behind UFC 66. UFC 66 featuring Liddell-Ortiz II drew 1,050,000 buys, while UFC 61 featuring Shamrock-Ortiz II drew 775,000 buys. In Canada, Meltzer reported that UFC 91 looked to be the third largest UFC pay-per-view in history, running behind UFC 79 and UFC 83, but ahead of UFC 87.
“That would indicate most likely topping 800,000 buys,” Meltzer concluded. “To me, anything under 700,000 is a disappointment and anything over 750,000 at this stage is a positive.”