Estimates for the UFC 230 buyrate are in.
Dave Meltzer of MMAFighting.com has revealed that the event looks to have brought in around 250,000 pay-per-view buys. UFC 230 featured a heavyweight title bout. In the main event, champion Daniel Cormier successfully put his heavyweight title on the line against Derrick Lewis. Cormier earned a second-round submission win. The co-main event saw former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jacare Souza take on former UFC middleweight title holder Chris Weidman. Souza earned the third-round stoppage.
The Aftermath
After Cormier’s victory over “The Black Beast,” he appears to be set for a “money fight” against WWE Universal champion Brock Lesnar. The issue lies in the reported terms of Lesnar’s new WWE contract. “The Beast Incarnate” is allowed to have another UFC bout, but with Roman Reigns being out of action, the WWE is turning to Lesnar as its top draw. This has led many to speculate that the WWE will try to avoid having Lesnar fight before WrestleMania.
If Cormier doesn’t get a fight with Lesnar, then he has expressed interest in a third bout with Jon Jones. The Cormier vs. Jones feud is at 0-1, 1 NC with Jones winning the first encounter. “Bones” initially knocked out Cormier in the rematch, but popped for turinabol.
UFC 230 Buyrate Reception
Meltzer notes that there are a few factors to take into account with the buyrate. UFC 230 didn’t top Cormier’s last PPV effort when he knocked out Stipe Miocic to conclude UFC 226. That event drew 375,000 buys. Here’s what Meltzer had to say:
“There are a number of factors that probably hurt the number, including the highest-rated college football game of the season with Alabama vs. LSU going head-to-head, and coming four weeks after the biggest pay-per-view show in UFC history with Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor. The fight also had a short buildup time since it was announced late after the UFC had been unsuccessful in putting together a main event for Madison Square Garden.”
Did the UFC 230 buyrate meet your expectations?
