Pay-per-view numbers are often loosely used as a reference for the perceived popularity of the event. When it comes to Conor McGregor, the massive rise in PPV sales is undeniable. The ‘Notorious’ recently took to social media to share his thoughts on the alleged pay-per-view buys for UFC 302. His response was as blunt as it was entertaining.
McGregor went on X to post a tweet, which has since been deleted. He posted about the alleged PPV buys of the recent UFC 302 event headlined by the lightweight title bout between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. As per McGregor, the card garnered around 500,000 pay-per-view buys. Moreover, he also reacted to the PPV buys.
A nothing burger.
Conor McGregor via X
Conor McGregor‘s brutal honesty, delivered in his trademark three-word style, saw the MMA world split in their opinions. The validity of the number provided by McGregor is still unknown. McGregor is known for his self-promotion and propensity to stir the pot. Therefore, this information on the PPV buys of UFC 302 must be taken with a grain of salt.
The tweet from the Irishman also indicates that he could potentially double or triple the 500K number with his upcoming PPV event. McGregor is set to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. However, the main event is still not out of the woods, as was recently confirmed by Ariel Helwani. Only time will tell if the PPV behemoth headlined by McGregor will actually come to fruition or not.
Comparison of PPV buys of top UFC lightweights fighting each other compared to Conor McGregor
Pay-per-view numbers are more than just figures on a spreadsheet in the UFC. They are a barometer of a fighter’s drawing power, a measure of their ability to captivate audiences and drive revenue. As such, the recent revelation of pay-per-view buys for Charles Oliveira‘s title fights came through (except for the Justin Gaethje fight, where Oliviera was stripped of the title). This showcased the average PPV buys in the lightweight division.
PPV buys of lightweight fighters as compared to Conor McGregor (via Bleacher Report)According to the reports, Oliveira’s clash with Michael Chandler at UFC 262 garnered a respectable 300,000 buys. The Brazilian’s fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 saw a modest uptick, with 400,000 buys recorded.Â
Oliveira’s only title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 caught the MMA world’s attention. With a reported 500,000 buys, the bout marked a significant milestone for the Brazilian, solidifying his status as a legitimate draw. After UFC 302’s alleged numbers, Poirier also remains a decent draw.
for comparison:
💰 Oliveira vs. Chandler did 300k PPVs
💰 Oliveira vs. Gaethje did 400k PPVs
💰 Oliveira vs. Poirier did 500k PPVs— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) June 11, 2024
These numbers, however, pale in comparison to the PPV buys generated by McGregor. He holds the record for the most PPV buys events in history. This was when he fought against his rival Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. This event generated a whopping 2.4 million PPV buys, making $180 million in the process. His rematch and trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier also rank among the top 10. It only proves the star power in lightweight does not come close to the impact of McGregor.
