The UFC's 5 best-selling pay-per-views of the decade (2010-2019)

#4 UFC 205: Alvarez vs McGregor – 12th November, 2016 – 1,300,000 buys

Conor McGregor knocked out Eddie Alvarez in the main event of the UFC's first show in New York

The UFC’s first ever show in New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, UFC 205 probably would’ve been a best-seller based purely on its historical significance, but the promotion decided to stack the card hugely too, giving the fans three title fights, capped off with the UFC’s biggest star – Conor McGregor – challenging Eddie Alvarez for the UFC Lightweight title.

The result was a show that went down extremely well with UFC fans – drawing 1,300,000 buys, the same amount as the legendary UFC100 had done back in 2009. And despite three title fights always being a risky sell due to the potential length, the action inside the Octagon delivered the goods, too.

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‘The Notorious One’ knocked out Alvarez to become the first man to simultaneously hold UFC titles in two weight classes – probably his crowning achievement in MMA – while Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson won the Fight of the Night award for their epic Welterweight title battle.

Overall, this was a successful entrance into the New York market, and the UFC haven’t quite been able to match it since.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by A. Ayush Chatterjee