The UFC has been putting on pay-per-views for 30 years and many of them have attracted more than one million buyers – but which is the best-selling show of all time?
Conor McGregor headlined many of the biggest UFC cards, but stars such as WWE legend Brock Lesnar and the inaugural BMF champion Jorge Masvidal have also attracted big TV audiences.
McGregor needed 13 seconds to put Aldo to sleep in 2015Credit: getty
Here, talkSPORT looks at the top ten best-selling UFC PPV events of all time, ranked according to their PPV buys courtesy of statista.
10. UFC 194: Jose Aldo vs Conor McGregor (1.2M PPV Buys)
McGregor starts a list he dominates with eight appearances.
After a meteoric rise in MMA from Cage Warriors to the octagon in 2013, he was booked to face the greatest featherweight of all time in Aldo.
The pair embarked on a world tour that convinced 1.2 million people to tune in when they finally fought.
The biggest draw in combat sports lived up to his pre-fight trash talk by knocking out Aldo, who hadn’t lost for 10 years, with one punch in 13 seconds when they threw down at UFC 194 in December 2015.
In a bizarre twist, McGregor and Aldo have since put their intense rivalry to one side and become friends after making PPV magic together.
9. UFC 205: Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor (1.3M PPV Buys)
‘Notorious’ made history in 2016 by becoming the first dual-weight UFC championCredit: Getty Images – Getty
UFC 205 was a historic event and it attracted 1.3 million PPV buys.
It was the first time New York hosted a UFC event following a long-time ban on professional MMA in the state and it was also the first time a fighter had the chance to become dual-weight champion.
The 145lb titleholder, McGregor, did just that in exemplary fashion by dominating lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez en route to a second-round stoppage win that propelled him to superstardom.
After celebrating his win by delivering a memorable fake apology during his post-fight speech, McGregor booked a $100 million fight with Floyd Mayweather and began his journey to becoming one of the richest men in sport.
8. UFC 100: Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir II (1.3M PPV Buys)
Lesnar ended his rivalry with Mir in devastating fashionCredit: Getty
UFC 100 is still talked about by fight fans more than 14 years later.
The landmark event, which took place in July 2009, featured WWE icon Lesnar defending his recently acquired UFC heavyweight title against the only man to beat him in MMA – Frank Mir.
George St-Pierre, Michael Bisping and Jon Jones also featured on a stacked card that delivered many memorable moments and convinced 1.3 million people to spend their hard-earned money on the PPV.
UFC 300 is fast approaching and if Dana White’s promotion has anything like the success of his first-century celebrating show, he’ll be a very happy man.
7. UFC 251: Kamaru Usman vs Jorge Masvidal (1.3M PPV Buys)
Masvidal battled valiantly but came up short against Usman at UFC 251Credit: Getty Images – Getty
A short-notice fight captured the attention of MMA fans in July 2020.
Streaking welterweight knockout artist Jorge Masvidal stepped in to face long-time champion Kamaru Usman when Gilbert Burns got injured and fell out of the UFC 251 main event bout.
The fight proved to be a five-round snoozefest – which Usman won by unanimous decision – but it was backed up by two more title fights: Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway II and Petr Yan vs Jose Aldo.
Bereft of sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 1.3 million people tuned in for the UFC’s latest behind-closed-doors show in Yas Island, United Arab Emirates, which quickly became known as ‘Fight Island’.
6. UFC 196: Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz (1.32M PPV Buys)
“I’m not surprised,” a blood-soaked Diaz said after his most famous winCredit: Getty
It wasn’t quite as big as the rematch, but fans were hyped for McGregor vs Diaz.
The March 2016 main event came together just a week before it took place when lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos suffered a broken foot and withdrew from his matchup with the featherweight king.
After sharing memorable pre-fight trash talk, McGregor seemed to be living up to expectations in round one as he battered Diaz – but he tired and ended up suffering a shocking submission defeat in round two.
Over 1.3 million people witnessed Diaz lock up a rear-naked choke before delivering an ionic one-liner during his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
5. UFC 246: Conor McGregor vs Donald Cerrone (1.35M PPV Buys)
The former dual-weight champion hasn’t won since beating Cerrone almost four years agoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
McGregor took 15 months away from MMA – and even retired – following his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov before booking a comeback fight against UFC veteran Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone.
More than 1.3 million witnessed the 35-year-old MMA legend at his blistering best as he ruthlessly wiped out Cerrone in just 46 seconds at UFC 246 in January 2020.
After busting his opponent’s face with rarely-seen shoulder strikes before finishing him off with a head kick, the brash Dubliner showed his softer side as he cried in the Octagon and embraced Cerrone’s grandmother.
‘Cowboy’ later admitted he was dreading his fight with McGregor and he ultimately ended his decorated career in 2022 following a seven-fight winless run.
4. UFC 264: Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor III (1.5M PPV Buys)
McGregor’s rivalry with Poirier is not overCredit: Getty
McGregor was fuming ahead of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
The previously friendly rivals had fallen out over an unpaid charity pledge, and this led to a toxic buildup to UFC 264 as the former dual-weight champion made things personal with comments about Poirier’s wife.
What was supposed to be a tiebreaker fight ended inconclusively as McGregor broke his leg during the first round and fell to a TKO defeat that left the 1.5 million PPV buyers feeling unsatisfied.
Both men have expressed their interest in a fourth fight, and it could be on the table next year when McGregor makes his eagerly anticipated return from the injury he suffered in July 2021.
3. UFC 257: Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor II (1.6M PPV Buys)
Poirier has won his last two fights against the IrishmanCredit: GETTY
Poirier finally avenged his most famous defeat in January 2021.
‘The Diamond’ was famously stopped by McGregor in 106 seconds when they first met as up-an-coming featherweight contenders seven years prior.
After a friendly build-up, which was the opposite of their first meeting, Poirier quickly broke down ‘Mystic Mac’ with leg kicks before knocking him out cold in round two as 1.6 million people watched at home.
The Louisiana native’s shocking win derailed McGregor’s proposed crossover bout with boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and paved the way for a fiery third affair between the lightweight contenders.
2. Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor II (1.6M PPV Buys)
‘Notorious’s is 1-1 with Diaz after two fightsCredit: GETTY
Big-name rematches always do well for MMA’s premier promotion.
After Nate Diaz did the unthinkable and submitted McGregor, who was previously unbeaten in the Octagon, fans were desperate to see them run it back.
Diaz vs McGregor II attracted 1.6 million PPV buyers and lived up to the hype as the two UFC superstars put on a five-round fight for the ages in August 2016.
Ultimately, the Irishman walked away with a majority decision victory, but Diaz was also a winner as he’d gone from just another UFC fighter to a bonified superstar.
1. UFC 229: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor (2.4M PPV Buys)
McGregor and Khabib shared the most intense rivalry in UFC historyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
UFC 229 is best remembered for the carnage that followed Khabib’s winCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Of course, McGregor headlined the best-selling UFC PPV of all time.
He was attempting to win back his lightweight belt from long-time rival Khabib Nurmagomedov but fell to a fourth-round submission defeat in front of 2.4 million fans who bought the PPV in October 2018.
However, UFC 229 will always be remembered for the post-fight brawl that followed Nurmagomedov’s career-best win as ‘The Eagle’ flew over the cage to attack McGregor’s teammate, Dillon Danis.
The 29-0 Russian fighter retired in 2020, much to the annoyance of ‘Notorious’ and UFC fans around the world who were clamouring for the pair to rematch.
