UFC 257 not working: Massive demand to watch Conor McGregor possibly breaks ESPN + service

The overflowing demand of watching Conor McGregor make his return to the octagon at UFC 257 may just have caused a major technical failure in ESPN + service.

Ahead of the Irishman's fight against Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 257, millions of viewers in the United States tuned into ESPN + to catch 'The Notorious' in action, however, many of them encountered a halt in the service.

Raise your hand if it’s still not working for you!#UFC257 #ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/Q27Em9M9jN

— Alyssa Athey (@AlyssaAthey) January 24, 2021

From reading my timelines it seems as though Conor McGregor has broken ESPN+ Stateside #UFC257

— Niall McGrath (@niallmcgrath4) January 24, 2021

ESPN+ is a garbage service. I use it, but it sucks. A lot. https://t.co/bEzJYWbwmO

— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) January 24, 2021

Intrestingly, the ESPN + service was not just thwarted for a small portion of the lot, but for many. It is not yet clear what caused the failure, but it can be presumed that a massive traffic ahead of UFC 257 could have possibly broken the service.

'The Notorious' was making his return after more than a year against Dustin Poirier in a highly anticipated rematch. UFC 257 was widely promoted across the United States, and Dana White also got iconic rapper Eminem on board to promote the event.

Conor McGregor repeatedly stated that he is in the best shape of his life, and that the fans are in "for a treat" when the 32-year-old steps into the octagon.

How to solve the problem?

Fansided MMA journalist Amy Kaplan proferred a suggestion that seems to work for those who are having issues with ESPN +.

I'm seeing that people who uninstall and then reinstall the ESPN + app are having success getting back in, if you are still locked out #UFC257

— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) January 24, 2021

Uninstalling and re-installing the app may prove to be the solution.

UFC recently worked out a new deal with ESPN

UFC reached a new agreement with ESPN this year when the promotion decided to broadcast all the pay per view events only on ESPN +, starting from UFC 257.

Viewers in the United States were required to purchase a separate ESPN + subscription to watch UFC 257, which cost them $69.99, leaving many viewers dissatisfied. The existing monthly subscribers also had the option to buy a yearly ESPN+ for $85.

Dana White had also claimed that UFC 257 is expected to sell 1.5 million PPV buys thanks to the Irishman's star power. McGregor currently holds a 22-4 record and is looking to reclaim the UFC lightweight championship.