Technically it's UFC 189 that's breaking the record but we'd suggest that may have quite a bit to do with one man. And just to prove that Conor McGregor really is the biggest show in town, Dana White has revealed just how little effect Jose Aldo's withdrawal has had on the bottom line.
UFC 189 has just become the organisation's highest grossing gate on US soil. Granted, the big tell will be when the pay-per-view buys come in but nonetheless, Dana White seems quite pleased with the pulling power of his cash cow despite the withdrawal of the featherweight champion.
We bring in Chad Mendes, the gate in Vegas at the MGM $6.8 million, we put in Mendes, the gate went to $7.1 M. We actually had to add bleachers in there. The event is the biggest gate we've ever done in the U.S.
That additional $300,000 has pushed it past the previous record which came at UFC 148 which was headlined by the rematch of Andersen Silva and Chael Sonnen. In terms of PPV buys that fight is among the biggest in UFC history. However, it failed to break the magic one million buy mark, something which McGregor has spoken about in the past.
If the gate receipts are an indication of the interest in the fight, he may well get his wish.
