Top 10 PPV Buys in North America, 2008

[Flyin Ryan]

Top 10 North American PPV buy rates, 2008

1. Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao, Dec. 6, (1,250,000)
2. UFC: Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture, Nov. 15, (1,010,000)
3. WWE: WrestleMania, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Big Show, March 30, (670,000) with Undertaker vs. Edge and Randy Orton vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
4. UFC: Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch, Aug. 9, (625,000)
with Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring
5. UFC: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Tim Sylvia, Feb. 2, (600,000) with Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
6. UFC: Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin, July 5, (540,000)
7. UFC: St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, April 19, (530,000)
8. Boxing: Felix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr., Jan. 19, (500,000)
9. UFC: Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans, Sept. 6, (480,000)
10. UFC: B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk, May 24, (475,000)

The 7-2-1 breakdown of UFC/boxing/WWE matches 2007 and 2006.

[BobDigi5060]

Not surprised. I know UFC can do better but can Pacman/Hatton outsell DLH/Pacman? If not UFC may have the most buys for a single PPV.

[AJAX]

I suspect UFC 100 should break all those numbers apperently all the belts will be on the line that night.....or at least that's the rumour.

[codeman99998]

I suspect UFC 100 should break all those numbers apperently all the belts will be on the line that night.....or at least that's the rumour.

Certainly not if BJ Penn beats GSP. Imagine BJ defending both belts in one night!

[Grievesy]

BJ can fight fight twice. He's good enough.:bbb

[LB3000]

I suspect UFC 100 should break all those numbers apperently all the belts will be on the line that night.....or at least that's the rumour. We all know that its not going to happen. They also need to think about the main events for the cards after 100. We dont want be stuck with more Stevenson vs Sanchez type main events. :nono

[jimmie]

We all know that its not going to happen. They also need to think about the main events for the cards after 100. We dont want be stuck with more Stevenson vs Sanchez type main events. :nono

Try not to be so upset with Stevenson-Sanchez. It is a good fight actually and its free.

[LB3000]

Have just read a Dana White interview and he said the UFC 92 show "Crushed the Lesnar fight by 150,000-175,000 buys."

Try not to be so upset with Stevenson-Sanchez. It is a good fight actually and its free. It is a good fight, but it pisses me off that they had the cheek to have it as a main event and then hold it in a big arena like the O2.

[ufoalf]

Have just read a Dana White interview and he said the UFC 92 show "Crushed the Lesnar fight by 150,000-175,000 buys."

It is a good fight, but it pisses me off that they had the cheek to have it as a main event and then hold it in a big arena like the O2.

This is what UFC does better than boxing. They ALWAYS promote new, young fighters.
Casual boxing fans knows almost nothing about new and upcoming boxers. They are overshadowed by big names, DLH, PBF, Pacman, Klitschko etc etc. Where does that bring boxing? Thats right, if you're not interested in the main even, you don't give 2 shits about rest of the card. Leave alone undercard if there is one. This loses PPVs.
In UFC they can have a shitty main event and still back it up by very solid and entertaining card. They wont get as many buys but it will still rate high. Bars will buy the card(if its even ppv), people will watch, get to know the fighters. The cycle keeps going thanks to Dana as asshole as he is.

[AJAX]

This is what UFC does better than boxing. They ALWAYS promote new, young fighters.
Casual boxing fans knows almost nothing about new and upcoming boxers. They are overshadowed by big names, DLH, PBF, Pacman, Klitschko etc etc. Where does that bring boxing? Thats right, if you're not interested in the main even, you don't give 2 shits about rest of the card. Leave alone undercard if there is one. This loses PPVs.
In UFC they can have a shitty main event and still back it up by very solid and entertaining card. They wont get as many buys but it will still rate high. Bars will buy the card(if its even ppv), people will watch, get to know the fighters. The cycle keeps going thanks to Dana as asshole as he is.

very accurate, surprised you gave Dana even a little bit of credit.

[Infern0]

boxing needs to do better!

[theunderdog]

wow. that just tells you that boxing in a horrible shape. 3 of the four fighters in the two ppvs are at least three years past rheir prime and may not be fighting again. the other one openly said he'll only fight for another year then retire.

boxing needs new faces. yall may not like small names fighting in big cards in the ufc, nut that's what's keeping ufc selling. they promote new guys and they actually care about the undercard.

boxing promoters only think of the main event. the dlh-pac undercard sold the most but the undercard was one of the worst last year. imagine how many ppvs more it could have sold if they put some effort with the undercard

[Beebs]

Ufoalf got it right on the head; in boxing if a up and comer loses a fight he is a bum/glass jawed/hypejob all that shot. In mma the guy is allowed by the fans to adjust his game, find a new camp, bring in a specialist, change weightclass, or any number of things even just saying he fought a bad fight; mma doesn't canabalize their young fighters. Undefeated records are viewed as what they almost always are, poor opposition or a young career, not as a requirement; it makes undefeated records mean something and loses not mean more than they actuallyean.

[codeman99998]

boxing promoters only think of the main event. the dlh-pac undercard sold the most but the undercard was one of the worst last year. imagine how many ppvs more it could have sold if they put some effort with the undercard

I don't know necessarily that it would have sold more PPVs. More importantly it could have gotten some young talent hyped up so they were capable of having PPV headliner events of their own someday.

[AJAX]

wow. that just tells you that boxing in a horrible shape. 3 of the four fighters in the two ppvs are at least three years past rheir prime and may not be fighting again. the other one openly said he'll only fight for another year then retire.

boxing needs new faces. yall may not like small names fighting in big cards in the ufc, nut that's what's keeping ufc selling. they promote new guys and they actually care about the undercard.

boxing promoters only think of the main event. the dlh-pac undercard sold the most but the undercard was one of the worst last year. imagine how many ppvs more it could have sold if they put some effort with the undercard

It can't have a good undercard because lining ODL pockets are more important.

[Grievesy]

This is what UFC does better than boxing. They ALWAYS promote new, young fighters.
Casual boxing fans knows almost nothing about new and upcoming boxers. They are overshadowed by big names, DLH, PBF, Pacman, Klitschko etc etc. Where does that bring boxing? Thats right, if you're not interested in the main even, you don't give 2 shits about rest of the card. Leave alone undercard if there is one. This loses PPVs.
In UFC they can have a shitty main event and still back it up by very solid and entertaining card. They wont get as many buys but it will still rate high. Bars will buy the card(if its even ppv), people will watch, get to know the fighters. The cycle keeps going thanks to Dana as asshole as he is.

Great post!:good Fully agree.

[LB3000]

This is exactly what Dana was talking about last week and he was spot on. Dana is a smart guy, as much as he talks shite he also talks a lot of sense.

[Tyga]

I'm surprised UFC 84 was that far down the list.

[fatcity]

Top Ranks ppv on feb 21 features Pavlik vs Rubio with Cotto vs Jennings and Clottey vs Contron on the undercard.Not a bad card from top to bottom.A pleasant change.3 title fights plus a 6 rounder to open up.

[LB3000]

Top Ranks ppv on feb 21 features Pavlik vs Rubio with Cotto vs Jennings and Clottey vs Contron on the undercard.Not a bad card from top to bottom.A pleasant change.3 title fights plus a 6 rounder to open up. Hopefully its a change which continues.

[AJAX]

We all know that its not going to happen. They also need to think about the main events for the cards after 100. We dont want be stuck with more Stevenson vs Sanchez type main events. :nono

well it looks like Rampage vs Evans is also on that card. Don't be surprised if that happens

[LB3000]

well it looks like Rampage vs Evans is also on that card. Don't be surprised if that happens I will tell you now, I will be surprised if we get 5 title fights. It would be great for the fans but for the company it's a big risk and it doesn't make sense. What are they going to do if they get a couple of injuries? As always the UFC needs to plan ahead and it can't be done with all the belts on the line in one event. I'm sure they will put on a good card though. Rampage vs Evans would be a great start.

[AJAX]

I will tell you now, I will be surprised if we get 5 title fights. It would be great for the fans but for the company it's a big risk and it doesn't make sense. What are they going to do if they get a couple of injuries? As always the UFC needs to plan ahead and it can't be done with all the belts on the line in one event. I'm sure they will put on a good card though. Rampage vs Evans would be a great start.

A great start? mir vs Lesnar is also suppose to be on that card, besides #100 is a milestone and having all these great fights in one night would be huge in teh public eye and likely do record numbers even if the events before and after arn't quite as good. They will likely plan a free spike card close to the event and likely an UFN as well....this could be the biggest promotion of the sport ever!

[LB3000]

Dana said Mir vs Lesnar may happen in April (UFC 97) but I think it will probably be the main event for UFC 98 (the card with the Serra vs Hughes fight).

[Jack Presscot]

Top 10 North American PPV buy rates, 2008

1. Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao, Dec. 6, (1,250,000)
2. UFC: Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture, Nov. 15, (1,010,000)
3. WWE: WrestleMania, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Big Show, March 30, (670,000) with Undertaker vs. Edge and Randy Orton vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
4. UFC: Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch, Aug. 9, (625,000)
with Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring
5. UFC: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Tim Sylvia, Feb. 2, (600,000) with Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
6. UFC: Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin, July 5, (540,000)
7. UFC: St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, April 19, (530,000)
8. Boxing: Felix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr., Jan. 19, (500,000)
9. UFC: Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans, Sept. 6, (480,000)
10. UFC: B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk, May 24, (475,000)

The 7-2-1 breakdown of UFC/boxing/WWE matches 2007 and 2006.This is interesting. I am wondering what happens this year, when WWE is beginning a steady decline, from which it will never, ever recover. (Started, in all reality, with the Chris Benoit mess) Boxing, is getting hit by the economy as well. Tito and RJJ are pretty much done, and so is Oscar. And folks are getting sick and tired of shelling out hard earned $$$ to watch boxing PPV events with shitty undercards. IF UFC can snag Samoa Joe and Angle from TNA and Brock stays on top, there stands a solid chance of MMA taking over the Fight Game entirely, especially if Dana White is smart about marketing, and using SPIKE TV and maybe CBS to showcase his guys. Vince will have a semi decent Wrestlemania but this will probably be one of the last ever really big ones. The days of 93,000 at the Silverdome are history.

[Jack Presscot]

Top Ranks ppv on feb 21 features Pavlik vs Rubio with Cotto vs Jennings and Clottey vs Contron on the undercard.Not a bad card from top to bottom.A pleasant change.3 title fights plus a 6 rounder to open up.This is a shit PPV fight if I ever heard of one. This is BAD or WCB material. My guess is it does less than 250K as far as actual buys. Mark my words, Arum wont want anyone to know the piss poor numbers.