MMA Fighting reports that UFC 202 is currently estimated at doing 1.65 million PPV buys. The number puts it ahead of UFC 196 in PPV buys.
Prior to this year, the top PPV event for the UFC was UFC 100 which posted 1.6M buys on July 11, 2009. In the main event Brock Lesnar faced Shane Carwin. GSP was also a co-main event on the card.
UFC 202 featured Conor McGregor versus Nate Diaz II. McGregor won a majority decision.
Not only did the PPV buys generated from the satellite and cable distributors reflect strong viewership but the direct buys on UFC Fight Pass were strong as well. The buys from the UFC site are not factored into the buys.
The news is better than the estimated 1.2-1.5M PPV buys as previously reported.
Payout Perspective:
Although the buzz might not have been as strong overall, the buys show that people knew about the event. The buys confirm that Conor is valuable commodity for the UFC and likely worth his reported $3M per fight. He’s drawn over 1.2M PPV buys in his last 3 PPV events.
Quick correction, Brock fought Mir at 100 not Carwin.
Mcgregor is the biggest star in combat sports right now, he’s the King.
UFC is having another killer year and Ronda and GSP arent even back yet.
HOpe they get a McGregor/Eddie fight signed for MSG in Nov, that card is already stacking up with Cowboy/Lawler and Weidman/Yoel.
King, indeed.
Another impressive PPV event as MMA and its athletes continue to take over the world of combat sports.
They probably added an extra 600k buys by moving CM/Nate off 200.
They did like 3.1 or so million buys for 200-202, if they put CM/DIaz on 200 it would have done 2 mill but then 201/202 would have been shit cards especially with Jones/DC off due to Jones failing a test.
So 201 would have been what it was and 202 probably would have been another title fight liek Cruz which would have only sold 300k buys.
So they actually made out better in this case, probably why they did it. Flex some power on McGregor, they knew with 200 number and Brock in their back pocket 200 would still sell well and then get a deal done for Nate/McGregor and get another huge PPV.
MMA has had stars but they’ve never had the biggest star in the game, its always been a floyd or Oscar or Manny, now they have the King.
I would prefer not to have to buy PPV to be an mma or boxing fan
I posted this a few days ago. This site is slacking.
And an auto correct in the above should read UFC 100 which posted 1.5M, not 1.6M buys. Not sure where this number came from.
The biggest draw in combat sports is still Mayweather, since its rumoured hes already starting to plan his comeback.
Not counting him, its between Canelo, Klitschko, and Pacquiao.
Globally those guys are far ahead of basically anyone else.
Canelo is massively popular throughout North and Latin America. Klitschko in Europe and Pacquiao in Asia.
Conor is known in the United States but really no where close to those guys.
Klitschko cant sell a ppv, but he will get 12m viewers in Germany…..
caramel the states is were the money is do you really think klit pulling in 12 million
viewers generates as much money , as a mcgreggor ppv not even close
same with paquiaou in asia, his tv money there is nowere close to what a big ppv brings him.