Ariel Helwani's reported PPV buys for Fury vs. Ngannou are nowhere near the leaked numbers; MMA personalities chime in
Ariel Helwani and Chael Sonnen got into a war of words while discussing Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou PPV buys (pay-per-view) and the Cameroonian's earnings from the boxing clash.
The highly anticipated pay-per-view fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia reportedly fell short of expectations, with under 70,000 PPV buys in the United States.
While Ngannou's maiden boxing venture was a highly talked about event, initial reports from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter suggest that it garnered only 67,500 PPV purchases in the United States.
It's worth noting that this number is an estimate, and the figures for the UK, where Fury enjoys significant popularity, are yet to be disclosed. Nevertheless, this preliminary estimate falls short of the anticipated numbers.
Meanwhile, Ariel Helwani remains resolute in his conviction that the boxing clash generated good numbers on pay-per-view. During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Helwani said:
"I can tell you with great certainty that the number that you should be throwing at my face isn't 67,000 or 100,000... The number you should be throwing at my face is 400k. That would be make it the highest selling pay-per-view involving an MMA fighter in an event not promoted by the UFC."
Veteran MMA journalist Luke Thomas chimed in on Ariel Helwani's speculations on X, writing:
"Can’t say how many buys it did, but I can tell you a ton of people were watching. The live audience at the time gave as a return greater than post-UFC PPV shows. Not an [apple] to [apple] comparison, but audiences don’t spontaneously appear online for Apex cards. People were watching."
Meanwhile, former UFC lightweight contender Josh Thomson offered some credibility to Dave Meltzer's report, stating:
"I’ve known @davemeltzerWON a long time and he’s really damn good at his job… he doesn’t move the goal post when trying to write a story or coming with his reported news."
Check out the comments below:
Ariel Helwani responds to recent criticism from former UFC champion Jamahal Hill
Veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has issued a response to Jamahal Hill in the wake of a recent video in which Hill voiced his critique. The video, posted by 'Sweet Dreams,' specifically targeted Helwani's recent interview with Chael Sonnen on The MMA Hour, during which the two delved into a heated discussion about the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou bout and its associated pay-per-view figures.
The former light-heavyweight champion openly criticized the journalist for showing disrespect to a long-standing fighter like Sonnen, suggesting that a face-to-face encounter would have yielded a different exchange.
In response, Helwani emphasized his enduring friendship with Sonnen and cautioned Hill not to speak on subjects beyond his knowledge. He also took a sharp jab at Hill, saying:
“You’re weighing in about something you don’t know s*it about… I’m not afraid of my friends. Have you ever heard me talk about a fighter like that? No, I don’t do that. I respond to people who lie about me, I respond to take shots, I respond to people who disrespect me. Like you, you make up s*it about me. It’s tiresome, but I understand what you’re doing, you’re trying to build up your YouTube channel.… Just like back in August, you swung, and you missed."
Catch Ariel Helwani's comments below: