Top 10 North American PPV Buy Rates for 2008

by Nick Thomas on Dec 13, 2008 9:11 AM EST in News Comment 14 comments

1. Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao, Dec. 6, 1,250,000

2. UFC: Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture, Nov. 15, 1,010,000

3. Wrestling: WrestleMania, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Paul "Big Show" Wight, March 30, 670,000

4. UFC: Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch/Lesnar vs. Heath Herring, Aug. 9, 625,000

5. UFC: Lesnar vs. Frank Mir, Feb. 2, 600,000

6. UFC: Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin, July 5, 540,000

7. UFC: St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, April 19, 530,000

8. Boxing: Felix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr., Jan. 19, 500,000

9. UFC: Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans, Sept. 6, 480,000

10. UFC: B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk/Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida, May 24, 475,000

Read the full article here.

HT: Yahoo! Sports

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And we still have UFC 92 to go. I’m hesitant about the numbers it could pull (can it really beat 500k?), but I think it’s possible to could become top 10 worthy. Let’s see what happens. Unlikely, though.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 13, 2008 9:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think in terms of star power it has a very good chance of being top 10. Each fighter in the big three matches for UFC 92 have been in one of the top 10 ppv’s so far.

Did you know we are in high demand, Laura?

by Eugene Schelfaut on Dec 13, 2008 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh, I don’t know. It’s possible, I’ll at least acknowledge that much. But outside of being paired up with bigger stars I’m not sure Nog, Mir, Griffin or Evans sell PPVs. Rampage can, but there doesn’t seem to be much push outside of hardcore fans for the fight. Again, I agree it can beat 500k PPV, but I don’t think it’s likely.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 13, 2008 11:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If Mir and Nog are ever gonna sell PPV’s, it’ll be after TUF.

*Addendum: or after they beat Lesnar.

by Rundownloser on Dec 13, 2008 11:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just got off the phone with Dave Meltzer. He thinks UFC 92 could go as high as 600k PPV buys. I’d be surprised, but hey, that’s interesting.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 13, 2008 5:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The UFC is guaranteed the top 7 of 10 PPV of 2008

That is amazing.

by cyph on Dec 13, 2008 11:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Two things - surprisingly strong Liddell-Evans numbers

And Lesnar is part of the 2, 3 and 5 top PPV – 1, 2 and 3 for the UFC.

Best free agent signing in MMA history? Anyone?

by subo on Dec 13, 2008 12:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

yeah, i think #7 had more eto do with lesnar/herring than GSP/Serra

by dbcb on Dec 13, 2008 1:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Best free agent signing in MMA history? Anyone?

without question. Immediate impact and payoff.

by banter on Dec 13, 2008 1:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Is BJ penn a big draw? or was that number due more to Tito?

by dbcb on Dec 13, 2008 1:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Both. BJ is a draw, but probably not a top 3 draw or anything like that. However, he did a great job of building that fight up by antagonizing Sherk.

Tito, has been a draw, but I think many were looking to see what kind of comments or actions he would make towards Dana.

I think people were just truly interested in seeing how that night unfolded.

Eliot Marshall: Bader won. Like I said in the episode, I'm not going to make any excuses. It's my job to be able to deal with when somebody's doing that. It's not his job to change up his tactics.

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Dec 14, 2008 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

All 3 of Brock fights in the top 5??? makes you wonder what would of happened had he signed with Affliction or Elite XC? Lesnar could of been the guy to even the playing field but instead he has made the gap that much larger

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by Pitbull on Dec 13, 2008 2:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs