What will be the highest selling UFC PPV this year?

Not knowing exactly what cards will be there at the end of the year. Just use your best judgement.

UFC 147

Isn't 147 still the Aldo card ?

Anyway I went with Sonnen vs. Silva II because it's STACKED!! but I could easily see the all HW card selling the most because you Yanks seem to love big men........teehee.

Yeah sorry, I mislabeled it.

OU wrote:

Yeah sorry, I mislabeled it.

What a disgrace, I demand that you receive 100 lashes for such a grievous error.

Ali wrote:

OU wrote:

Yeah sorry, I mislabeled it.

What a disgrace, I demand that you receive 100 lashes for such a grievous error.

Come at me bro.

148 will probably do a million buys easily, maybe even 1.5 if Evans and Jones got people going like this. It has the basic formula for the type of super-card which the UFC likes to stage about once a year. Multiple title fights, compelling match making, legend matches, TUF connections and legit grudge matches.

Silva has established himself as a draw finally with American fans, especially when opposite a credible opponent. None is more credible than Sonnen. The pseudo-racially charged antics of Sonnen appeal to the traditional Caucasian UFC fan base who were cold to Silva for far, far too long and want to see him lose. The antics of Sonnen also polarize Silva's fans, and the emerging African American UFC fan demographic, which has come to embrace Anderson increasingly. Grudge matches sell well. Smack talk and controversy sells well. Compelling match making sells well. Historical significance and legacy defining moments sell well. This fight has it all.

On top of that, there is a second title fight between Cruz and Faber. On the plus side ; Their bout is also a legitimate grudge match and legacy defining rubber match. These are TUF coaches. Faber is as legit a draw as you'll find at 135. On the downside ; Cruz has failed utterly to connect with fans. The lower weight classes don't seem to resonate that well with buyers. And this season of TUF is not lighting the world on fire ratings wise.

On its own, I don't know if we could have expected 400k from this rematch but as part of a super-card, it adds a lot of value to the package to a PPV buyer on the fence.

Tito vs Forrest 3 in basically a retirement match also brings casual interest. I've sensed a lot of apathy, and even antipathy from hardcore fans towards this fight, but when discussing megacards, we need to look at what the once-a-year PPV buyer will think when they see this fight on the card on their on-demand info, or when watching the count-down shows.

Franklin vs Le and Bisping vs Botech just add to the depth and intrigue. I'd rather Judo face Le and Franklin face Bisping, but whatever.

I think Maia vs Stun Gun should be moved to FX or whatever and Barao vs Menjivar should be promoted to the maincard. Maia vs Kim is a cool fight and all, but it isn't going to add any PPV buys, so this slot should be allocated for a potential future contender for the 135 pound title. That is a more important fight+probably will be way better of a fight.

lol I bet it was Josh who voted for Hendo vs. Bones .

Ali wrote:

lol I bet it was Josh who voted for Hendo vs. Bones .

Nah gotta be OU. He's been talking about that damn fight selling for months now.

No way that fight out does Evans vs Bones unless something major gets added to the card. There is no grudge-match factor. And I don't think Hendo is seen as capable of beating Bones as Evans was. Hardcore opinion is not consensus fan opinion. Even if this board thinks Hendo's right hand is more dangerous than Evans, the perception of Bones ducking Evans, Evans supposedly being in his head and a former training partner made that fight more credible for many.

I think Hendo vs Bones is going to do pretty good though. 500-600.

As long as Bones is champ I don't expect any of his fights to do less than 600K. He's a star now.

Farmer1906 wrote:

As long as Bones is champ I don't expect any of his fights to do less than 600K. He's a star now.

Maybe. Overall PPV has been significantly down. More than ever compelling match-ups and credible threats are key to selling the public on buying a fight.

I'm gonna just say it - While it is less of an issue now than it was two years ago, it is still a basic fact that black UFC fighters, Anderson included, struggle to connect with a large segment of the core UFC's white base. And when they do sell well, they engage casual black fans like Evans vs Page, Evans vs Bones etc or white fans who think they might see them lose.

I don't know if Bones is that first breakthrough black star who can draw fight in fight out regardless of dance partner. He got showered with boos at the weigh in at in the cage. The numbers for the Hendo fight depend largely on if white fans who embraced GSP, Liddell, Couture and Lesnar embrace Hendo as a legitimate threat to Bones. If they don't think he has a good chance of winning, they won't buy.

I think this fight does well, probably Bones second best performance, but no way does it top 700.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Farmer1906 wrote:

As long as Bones is champ I don't expect any of his fights to do less than 600K. He's a star now.

Maybe. Overall PPV has been significantly down. More than ever compelling match-ups and credible threats are key to selling the public on buying a fight.

I'm gonna just say it - While it is less of an issue now than it was two years ago, it is still a basic fact that black UFC fighters, Anderson included, struggle to connect with a large segment of the core UFC's white base. And when they do sell well, they engage casual black fans like Evans vs Page, Evans vs Bones etc or white fans who think they might see them lose.

I don't know if Bones is that first breakthrough black star who can draw fight in fight out regardless of dance partner. He got showered with boos at the weigh in at in the cage. The numbers for the Hendo fight depend largely on if white fans who embraced GSP, Liddell, Couture and Lesnar embrace Hendo as a legitimate threat to Bones. If they don't think he has a good chance of winning, they won't buy.

I think this fight does well, probably Bones second best performance, but no way does it top 700.

What makes you think that is true?

Because black fighters get boo'd more than anyone else and rather consistently. Evans, Bones, Rampage and Anderson have all been at least unfairly ignored, at worst despised by a good chunk of the UFC's base demographic.

Forrest, Franklin, Chuck, Lesnar, Ken Shamrock, GSP, Randy Couture...other than GSP they're all white Americans. GSP is a Canadian.

I'm not postulating a racist conspiracy or anything, but things are what they are.

Black fighters and their ability to draw depends largely on dance partner. As of yet, there have been no draws in the UFC who on name alone can pull xyz buys who were black.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Because black fighters get boo'd more than anyone else and rather consistently. Evans, Bones, Rampage and Anderson have all been at least unfairly ignored, at worst despised by a good chunk of the UFC's base demographic.

Forrest, Franklin, Chuck, Lesnar, Ken Shamrock, GSP, Randy Couture...other than GSP they're all white Americans. GSP is a Canadian.

I'm not postulating a racist conspiracy or anything, but things are what they are.

Black fighters and their ability to draw depends largely on dance partner. As of yet, there have been no draws in the UFC who on name alone can pull xyz buys who were black.

Tito, Tim Sylvia, Hughes (sometimes), Mir, Bisping, and maybe Shamrock too are booed. I think it has to do personality as much as anything else. Some people aren't likable.

Without actually seeing data, I think you're way off the mark.

I donno man, whites are people too. Fight fans like who looks like them. The UFC's popularity boom that came with Forrest and Liddell was nearly all white. GSP and Lesnar fans are mostly white. There hasn't been a black fighter who can draw time in time out.

Ever wonder what exactly it is that makes Evans and Rampage so hated personality wise with UFC fans?

Remember, I am not saying everyone who likes the UFC, or didn't like those fighters was racist, but race certainly plays apart. I've been to enough hooters on fight night, local fights and MMA forums to know that much.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

I donno man, whites are people too. Fight fans like who looks like them. The UFC's popularity boom that came with Forrest and Liddell was nearly all white. GSP and Lesnar fans are mostly white. There hasn't been a black fighter who can draw time in time out.

Ever wonder what exactly it is that makes Evans and Rampage so hated personality wise with UFC fans?

Remember, I am not saying everyone who likes the UFC, or didn't like those fighters was racist, but race certainly plays apart. I've been to enough hooters on fight night, local fights and MMA forums to know that much.

I can see how you like someone who looks like you or is from the same country as you, but no way does that play THAT big of a factor.

Rampage is a moron who says some dumb shit. Plus Forrest and Rashad made him look like a fool on TUF.

Evans was boring and came off arrogant as hell. He's grown up as a fighter and been the "good guy" in the Rampage and Bones fights IMO. He's not booed like he once was.

They've all been mercilessly boo'd for nearly no reason at different times. Race is a big factor with UFC fans. It is changing though.


But seriously farmer I am sure you've had conversations IRL about how the UFC is the one sport they don't dominate.

Bones vs Hendo could be part of a massive card. UFC 149 rumors include Hendo vs Bones, Aldo vs Koch, Thiago vs Shogun, Alves vs Sexy, Kongo vs Nog. Could be the kind of card needed to top Jones vs Evans.

OU wrote:

Bones vs Hendo could be part of a massive card. UFC 149 rumors include Hendo vs Bones, Aldo vs Koch, Thiago vs Shogun, Alves vs Sexy, Kongo vs Nog. Could be the kind of card needed to top Jones vs Evans.

Looks like they are stacking it. You just may be right. Still 148 looks solid too.

OU wrote:

Bones vs Hendo could be part of a massive card. UFC 149 rumors include Hendo vs Bones, Aldo vs Koch, Thiago vs Shogun, Alves vs Sexy, Kongo vs Nog. Could be the kind of card needed to top Jones vs Evans.

The card will sell well not because of Bones vs. Hendo but because of.......

Farmer1906 wrote:

OU wrote:

Bones vs Hendo could be part of a massive card. UFC 149 rumors include Hendo vs Bones, Aldo vs Koch, Thiago vs Shogun, Alves vs Sexy, Kongo vs Nog. Could be the kind of card needed to top Jones vs Evans.

Looks like they are stacking it. You just may be right. Still 148 looks solid too.

Yeah you have a diverse group of weight classes and countries represented here. Champions and former Champions. You have some exciting style matchups to go with it. Could be a big card.

If the cas crowd knew jack shit about mma then UFC 146 would probably be the best card of the year buy wise. But these questions are really hard to speculate on. Therefore I choose UFC 152.

GDPofDRC wrote:

If the cas crowd knew jack shit about mma then UFC 146 would probably be the best card of the year buy wise. But these questions are really hard to speculate on. Therefore I choose UFC 152.

UFC 154 is a more likely date for GSP's return.