UFC
The 15 Biggest UFC Events Of All Time!
Biggest UFC PPV Events Of All Time. Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA TODAY Sports
The UFC has hosted some of the absolute biggest combat sports events of all time.
With the best roster in the world, the UFC shows have gained massive attention due to high-profile matchups, record-breaking attendance, and memorable moments inside the octagon.
Click next to check out the top 15 biggest UFC PPV events of all time!
15. UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez
Brock Lesnar.
- Where:Honda Center, Anaheim
- When: October 23, 2010
- PPV buys: 1,050,000
UFC 121 was headlined by a heavyweight bout where Cain Velasquez TKO’d Brock Lesnar in the first round.
The event also featured fighters like Diego Sanchez, Jake Shields, Tito Ortiz and Matt Hamill.
14. UFC 92: The Ultimate
Rashad ”Suga” Evans. Photo: Miguel Tovar-USA TODAY Sports
- Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
- When: December 27, 2008
- PPV buys: 1,050,000
The main event of UFC 92 featured a light heavyweight championship between title holder Forrest Griffin and undefeated challenger Rashad Evans.
This was the first time that two winners of The Ultimate Fighter competed in a title fight against each other.
Evans won the fight via TKO in round 3.
13. UFC 207: Rousey vs. Nunes
Ronda Rousey. Photo: Jason Da Silva-USA TODAY Sports
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- When: December 31, 2016
- PPV buys: 1,100,000
UFC 207 was headlined by a massive women’s bantamweight title fight with returning former champion Rousey challenging title holder Amanda Nunes.
Nunes showed that there was level to the game as she demolished the former champion inside the first round.
12. UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm
Holly Holm. Photo: Amber Searls – USA TODAY Sports
- Where: Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
- When: November 14, 2015
- PPV buys: 1,100,000
UFC 193 marked the end of an era as Holly Holm knocked out dominant and undefeated bantamweight champion – and MMA pioneer – Ronda Rousey with a beautiful headkick.
The co-main event featured a strawweight championship bout between current champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Valerie Letourneau.
11. UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin
Biggest UFC PPV events. Photo via YouTube
- Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- When: July 3, 2010
- PPV buys: 1,160,000
The epic UFC 116 was headlined by a heavyweight banger where champion Brock Lesnar defeated interim champion Shane Carwin with a second-round submission.
UFC 116 won Best Major Show in the 2010 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards.
10. UFC 194: McGregor vs. Aldo
Biggest UFC PPV events. Photo via YouTube
- Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- When: December 12, 2015
- PPV buys: 1,200,000
UFC 194 is the first of many best-selling events on this list that features Conor McGregor.
”The Notorious” stood for his perhaps most epic moment as he knocked out dominant featherweight champion Jose Aldo after 13 seconds.
UFC 194 had arguably one of the absolute best main cards ever, featuring fights like Yoel Romero vs. Jacare Souza, Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens and a middleweight title bout between Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman.
9. UFC 100: Mir vs. Lesnar 1,300,000
Biggest UFC PPV events. Photo via YouTube
- Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas
- When: July 11, 2009
- PPV buys: 1,300,000
The epic UFC 100 was headlined by a heavyweight showdown where champion Brock Lesnar took on interim champ Frank Mir in a rematch. Lesnar eventually won the bout via a second-round TKO.
The card also featured a welterweight title fight where champion Georges St-Pierre defeated Thiago Alves via unanimous decision.
8. UFC 205: McGregor vs. Alvarez 1,300,000
Conor McGregor. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
- Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
- When: November 13, 2016
- PPV buys: 1,300,000
With the win at UFC 205, Conor McGregor put on the best performance of his career as he dominated the extremely dangerous Eddie Alvarez to become the first fighter in the promotion’s history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.
7. UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal 1,300,000
Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via USA TODAY Sports
- Where: du Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi,
- When: July 12, 2020
- PPV buys: 1,300,000
Even though (or perhaps because) Jorge Masvidal replaced Gilbert Burns on one weeks notice to challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight gold, UFC 251 sold an incredible amount of PPV’s.
Usman eventually stood as the winner via unanimous decision after five rounds.
The stacked card also featured a featherweight title bout rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, as well as massive names like Rose Namajunas, Jessica Andrade, Petr Yan and Jose Aldo.
6. UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz I
Nate Diaz. Photo: UFC / Josh Hedges
- Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena
- When: 2016
- PPV buys: 1,317,000
After Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out of the scheduled lightweight title bout, UFC 196 was headlined by the now classic fight where Conor McGregor was submitted by replacement Nate Diaz.
The card also featured a women’s bantamweight title fight where Miesha Tate submitted champion Holly Holm in the fifth round.
5. UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cerrone
Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- When: January 18, 2020
- PPV buys: 1,353,429
Conor McGregor’s return to the sport was a massive thing, not only for MMA fans, but for sports fans all over the world.
And the Irish superstar lived up to the moment as he finished Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds with a head kick and a barrage of punches.
4. UFC 264: McGregor vs. Poirier III
Conor McGregor. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- When: July 11, 2021
- PPV buys: 1,504,737
With one stoppage win each after two fights, the third clash between rivals Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier was supposed to be the grand finale.
However, the fight ended with a big ’what if’, as McGregor broke his leg in the last seconds of the first round and ”The Diamond” got the win via TKO (doctor stoppage).
3. UFC 202: McGregor vs. Diaz II 1,600,000
Conor McGregor won the rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202. Photo: USA Today Sports
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- When: August 20, 2016
- PPV buys: 1,600,000
One of the biggest rematches in company history was the second clash between McGregor and Diaz which headlined the massive UFC 202.
After losing to Diaz at UFC 196 a few months before, McGregor was hungry for revenge, and both fighters gave it all during five rounds. After the final bell, the Irishman stood as the winner via majority decision.
2. UFC 257: McGregor vs. Poirier II 1,600,000
Photo: Jeff Bottari/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports
- Where: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
- When: January 24, 2021
- PPV buys: 1,600,000
UFC 257 was headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between McGregor and Poirier. The latter won the fight via a massive second-round KO.
The card also featured the promotional debut of Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler.
1. UFC 229: McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomodov just seconds after finishing Conor McGregor. Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- When: October 6, 2018
- PPV buys: 2,400,000
The biggest UFC PPV event of all time is UFC 229, headlined by the lightweight grudge match between Conor McGregor and champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov won the fight via submission in the fourth round just to turn around to jump the cage and fight the crowd in one of the weirdest moments in MMA.
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