Updated December 22nd, 2020 at 19:01 IST
Is Conor McGregor UFC's best-selling fighter ever? Complete main event buys of career
Six of Conor McGregor's cards are in the top 10 UFC PPVs sales list, with his showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 topping the charts.
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Conor McGregor is arguably the most profitable fighter to have ever stepped inside the octagon. In his seven-year-long UFC career, Conor McGregor has established himself as a moneymaker, considering most of the cards featuring him make millions in PPV sales. Not just that, six of his cards are in the top 10 UFC PPVs sales list, with his showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 topping the list with a record-breaking 2.4 million PPV buys.
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Conor McGregor highest-selling PPV: From $825,000 to 4.4 million PPV buys
McGregor's first fight in a PPV main event was a huge success, with the Irishman bringing in almost $825,000 in buys for UFC 189 with his knockout of Chad Mendes. Since then his stardom has kept on getting bigger. His second fight in a PPV main event, where he knocked out Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds made $1.2 million in buys. His record-breaking fight against Khabib pales in comparison to what McGregor earned for his pro boxing debut.
Also Read l UFC 229: Khabib was disappointed with McGregor as he expected him to be mentally tougher
In 2017, Conor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition boxing match which pulled in eye-watering sums. While the Notorious One loss his debut boxing bout, the crossover match-up drew $4.4 million in PPV buys, the second biggest PPV buys in combat-sport history. This proves why Conor McGregor is hailed as the moneymaker and the biggest draw in MMA history.
Apart from that, Conor McGregor recently revealed that his last headlined PPV against Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone (UFC 246) managed to make 1.35 million in PPV buys, becoming the third biggest PPV in UFC history and the biggest PPV of 2020. The Notorious One is currently training for his return bout against Dustin Poirier which is set to take place in January 2021 at UFC 257. According to reports, McGregor vs Poirier 2 will also break PPV records and could become the biggest UFC bout of 2021.
Congrats to the @ufc on a well fought 2020! The only sporting company on the planet to come through the entire year! Incredible!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA)
I am honoured to secure their highest PPV of the year with McGregor Vs Cerrone.
Congrats Donald, and also on his double submission win last night. #No1 pic.twitter.com/Xvh76Gki3U
Also Read l McGregor vs Khabib: Nurmagomedov rules out McGregor rematch for good
Conor McGregor highest-selling PPV: Top 10 UFC PPV buys in history
| Rank | PPV Name | PPV Buys |
| 1 | UFC 229: Khabib vs McGregor | 2,400,000 |
| 2 | UFC 202: Diaz vs McGregor 2 | 1,600,000 |
| 3 | UFC 246: McGregor vs Cerrone | 1,353,429 |
| 4 | UFC 196: McGregor vs Diaz | 1,317,000 |
| 5 | UFC 205: Alvarez vs McGregor | 1,300,000 |
| 5 | UFC 251: Usman vs Masvidal | 1,300,000 |
| 5 | UFC 100: Lesnar vs Mir 2 | 1,300,000 |
| 6 | UFC 194: Aldo vs McGregor | 1,200,000 |
| 7 | UFC 116: Lesnar vs Carwin | 1,160,000 |
| 8 | UFC 207: Nunes vs Rousey | 1,100,000 |
| 8 | UFC 193: Rousey vs Holm | 1,100,000 |
| 9 | UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 | 1,050,000 |
| 9 | UFC 121: Lesnar vs Velasquez | 1,050,000 |
| 9 | UFC 114: Jackson vs Evans | 1,050,000 |
| 10 | UFC 168: Weidman vs Silva 2 | 1,025,000 |
Also Read l Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov could come face to face at UFC 257
Disclaimer: The above-mentioned numbers and figures are sourced from various websites and media reports, especially Tapology. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.
Image Source: AP
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Published December 22nd, 2020 at 19:01 IST