Conor McGregor weaves magic on comeback fight as UFC generates record revenue from PPV buys and live gate
After returning from a year-long hiatus from the sport, Conor McGregor well and truly proved that he is still the biggest attraction not just in the UFC, but arguably the world of combat sports.
Ahead of his fight against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, many people doubted if the Irishman still had the hunger to go out there and decimate opponents like he used to because 'The Notorious One' was living up to his nickname not inside, but outside the Octagon, being embroiled in one controversy after another. Also, having made the kind of money he did in the boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, it seemed like McGregor would never be the same again.
Lo and behold, come fight night McGregor did what he does best and made quick work of Cerrone, finishing the veteran of many wars inside the Octagon within forty seconds of the first round, sending the MMA world into a frenzy.
The “UFC Embedded” series revealed that the live gate for the event at T-Mobile Arena soared to a whopping $11 million, second only to the gate for UFC 229 featuring McGregor and the reigning UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
MMA Fighting's Dave Meltzer disclosed that McGregor's comeback bout generated around 2 million pay-per-view buys, making UFC 246 one of the most profitable events in the history of the promotion.