According to ESPN, the early estimates for UFC 214 peg the buy rate at around 850,000, taking into account US, Canada, Australia and digital platforms like UFC.TV.
If so that’s easily the biggest buy rate of the year so far, having failed to breach the 300,000 mark for their previous six PPV events so far in 2017.
Dana White had claimed after UFC 214 that the event had been trending over one million buys, but while it doesn’t appear to have reached that level, it was still a very successful night for the promotion and exceeded many people’s expectations.
The promotion had pulled out all the stops to deliver a stacked card for the show in Anaheim, featuring no less than three title fights, though there’s no doubt that it was the rematch between bitter rivals Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier that was by far the biggest draw, and the culmination of their feud managed to outdo their original encounter back at UFC 182 some two-and-a-half years ago, which drew 800,000 buys.
Still, having a welterweight title fight between Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia, plus the women’s featherweight belt on the line for Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino and Tonya Evinger definitely helped too, as did an inticing welterweight clash between popular stars Robbie Lawler and Donald Cerrone.
The event also set up a potential blockbuster fight some way down the line after Jones called out Brock Lesnar on the mic after his victory, a heavyweight spectacle that would surely threaten to breach the one-million PPV barrier if the UFC did ever find a way to make it happen.
