That cat is out of the bag, and the latest Triller PPV numbers for Vitor Belfort battering Evander Holyfield turned in some low sales figures.
If the report is accurate, then Triller will have spent more money financing fighter salaries than actual revenue brought in from the event. Preliminary numbers indicate that the Triller show sold roughly 150K PPV units. From the beginning, the company was positioned for a bad night after their initial plans with Oscar De La Hoya fell apart. “The Golden Boy” contracted COVID-19 despite being double vaccinated and was required to go to the hospital.
The Triller event was a spectacle, and the company definitely put forth a strong effort in commanding the attention of the combat sports world. In fact, they hired former U.S. President Donald Trump to help with the broadcast’s commentary. On top of that, former UFC champions Tito Ortiz and Anderson Silva were a big part of the card and met in an 8-round battle. In what was likely the highlight of the night, Silva only needed a single round to crush Ortiz.
Following De La Hoya’s withdrawal, Triller moved on and anointed boxing heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield to fight on short notice against the 44-year old Belfort. Many were dubious of Triller’s plans as the company opted to move the Belfort/Holyfield show from California to Florida in order to assure the exhibition bout was sanctioned legally.
In addition, it should be noted that Holyfield struggled in 2004 to get licensed to fight after the New York commission barred him from receiving a fight license due to “poor performance and diminished skills.” Since that was 17 years ago, it certainly raises questions as to how he got sanctioned in Flordia at 58-years old.
It appears Triller Fight Club’s last-minute scrambling did them no favors in commanding more PPV numbers. While for a newer promotion, 150K PPV sales would be lauded, though, for a promotion that enlisted some heavy hitters and big names, they certainly missed the mark by a large margin.
Do you believe Triller Fight Club will remain a relevant player in the combat sports scene by 2023?
