Next months star-studded UFC 205 event in New York City has already broken the famous Madison Square Garden’s gate record.
That’s the word according to UFC president Dana White during an interview on FOX Sports 1 this weekend.
“We’ve been in all the biggest, best arenas all over the world,” White said. “Madison Square Garden is a big deal. All the legendary fights that have been held there, all of the legendary events. We actually broke the gate record for Madison Square Garden, so … so far so good. I’m excited!”
The previous gate record of MSG was $13.5 million for the heavyweight boxing fight between Lennox Lewis and Evander Hollyfield back in 1999.
If UFC 205 has surpassed that figure then that would also mean they’ve smashed their own gate record of $12,075,000, which came at UFC 129: GSP Vs Shields at the Rogers Center in Toronto, Canada in 2011.
The promotion will also be hoping that perhaps UFC 205 can also break their current pay-per-view record of 1.7 million buys, achieved with UFC 202: McGregor Vs Diaz II in August.
UFC 205’s headliner of Eddie Alvarez Vs Conor McGregor doesn’t yet have the same kind of heat behind it as that rematch did, but it’s getting to the stage where people will pay to watch ‘The Notorious’ fight regardless of who it’s against.
Also, the UFC have assembled arguably the deepest line-up in their history to support the headliner, including a further two title fights, so all the ingredients are there for another hugely successful night to add to what’s already been a stellar 2015 for the company.
