Top 10 Highest Grossing UFC PPV Events of All Time (Updated 2026)
The UFC has come a very long way since its early days. What started as a small fight promotion has turned into a multi-billion dollar global sport. And the biggest proof of that? The mind-blowing numbers from their Pay-Per-View (PPV) events.
A PPV event is a show that fans pay to watch at home. The more people buy it, the more money the UFC makes. In this article, we look at the top 10 highest grossing UFC PPV events in history, updated with the latest numbers up to 2026.
If you’re looking for a reliable platform to stream live football matches, TheTVApp is a great choice.
The King of UFC PPV: Conor McGregor
Before we get to the list, there’s one name you need to know, Conor McGregor.
McGregor owns seven of the top ten biggest PPV events in UFC history. His average of 1,538,632 pay-per-view sales per fight makes him the undisputed PPV king of the company.
No other fighter in MMA history has come close to what McGregor has done for the business side of the UFC. His fights don’t just sell, they shatter records.
Top 10 Highest Grossing UFC PPV Events of All Time
| Event | Main Event | PPV Buys | Est. Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| UFC 229 (Oct 2018) | Khabib vs McGregor | 2,400,000 | ~$180 million |
| UFC 202 (Aug 2016) | McGregor vs Diaz 2 | 1,600,000 | ~$85 million |
| UFC 257 (Jan 2021) | Poirier vs McGregor 2 | 1,600,000 | ~$85 million |
| UFC 264 (Jul 2021) | Poirier vs McGregor 3 | 1,500,000 | ~$80 million |
| UFC 246 (Jan 2020) | McGregor vs Cerrone | 1,350,000 | ~$70 million |
| UFC 205 (Nov 2016) | Alvarez vs McGregor | 1,300,000 | ~$75 million |
| UFC 196 (Mar 2016) | Diaz vs McGregor | 1,200,000 | ~$65 million |
| UFC 251 (Jul 2020) | Usman vs Masvidal | 1,300,000 | ~$60 million |
| UFC 194 (Dec 2015) | McGregor vs Aldo | 1,400,000 | ~$90 million |
| UFC 100 (Jul 2009) | Lesnar vs Mir | 1,600,000 | ~$82 million |
Breaking Down the Top 10 – Fight by Fight
1- UFC 229: Khabib vs McGregor (Oct 2018)
PPV Buys: 2,400,000 | Revenue: ~$180 million
This is the biggest UFC PPV event in history and it is not even close.
Khabib vs McGregor sold 2.4 million PPV buys and generated an estimated $180 million through PPV sales alone. UFC 229 is the highest-grossing PPV event in the history of the company.
The Lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor generated a record-breaking number of PPV buys because of the intense rivalry between the two fighters. The feud began in early 2018 when McGregor attacked a bus carrying Nurmagomedov and other UFC fighters.
In the end, Khabib won by fourth-round submission, but it was what happened after the fight that truly shocked the world, when chaos broke out inside and outside the cage.
3- UFC 202 & UFC 257: McGregor vs Diaz 2 / Poirier vs McGregor 2 (Tied)
PPV Buys: 1,600,000 each
Two fights featuring McGregor earned 1.6 million PPV buys to tie for second on the all-time list, UFC 202 and UFC 257. Nate Diaz and McGregor met in a rematch at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016, in a five-round slugfest that featured 330 significant strikes between the two.
UFC 257 saw McGregor return after a long break to face Dustin Poirier, but this time, Poirier got his revenge with a second-round knockout.
4- UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3 (Jul 2021)
PPV Buys: ~1,500,000
UFC 264 generated over $15 million in gate revenue and approximately 1.5 million PPV buys, making it one of the five biggest UFC events of all time.
The fight ended heartbreakingly for McGregor, who broke his leg at the end of the first round and was unable to continue.
5- UFC 246: McGregor vs Cerrone (Jan 2020)
PPV Buys: ~1,350,000
This was McGregor’s comeback fight after a long spell away from the octagon. McGregor obliterated Cerrone in just 46 seconds with a series of shoulder strikes and a head kick, he was back dramatically. The comeback hype drove massive PPV sales.
6- UFC 205: Alvarez vs McGregor (Nov 2016)
PPV Buys: ~1,300,000 | Gate: $17.7 million
This was the historic night McGregor became a two-weight world champion by defeating Eddie Alvarez at Madison Square Garden in New York, the first UFC event ever held in New York. UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden generated a gate of $17.7 million, which stood as the record for the highest-grossing live UFC event until UFC 306 in 2024.
7- UFC 196: Diaz vs McGregor (Mar 2016)
PPV Buys: ~1,200,000
McGregor was dominating Diaz in round 1, but the Irishman couldn’t maintain the pressure, and ultimately Diaz made him tap out, a stunning upset that shocked the entire MMA world. The drama and shock value of the result made it one of the most talked-about UFC events ever.
8- UFC 251: Usman vs Masvidal (Jul 2020)
PPV Buys: ~1,300,000
UFC 251 was one of the first major events held on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Welterweight title fight between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal, who stepped in on just six days’ notice, sold huge numbers and proved the UFC could deliver blockbuster events anywhere in the world.
9- UFC 194: McGregor vs Aldo (Dec 2015)
PPV Buys: ~1,400,000 | Revenue: ~$90 million
This is where the McGregor phenomenon truly took off globally. McGregor scored an absolutely incredible quickfire finish in just 13 seconds of the opening round, leaving the Brazilian legend flat on his back.
At the time, it was the fastest finish in UFC title fight history and sent the internet into a frenzy overnight.
10- UFC 100: Lesnar vs Mir (Jul 2009)
PPV Buys: ~1,600,000 | Revenue: ~$82 million
Before McGregor, Brock Lesnar was the UFC’s biggest box office star. UFC 100 was the celebration of the promotion’s 100th numbered event, and it delivered in a big way. Lesnar destroyed Frank Mir in the main event, and Georges St-Pierre dominated Thiago Alves in the co-main. It held the all-time PPV record for nearly a decade before McGregor came along.
Check out the Jose Mourinho Net Worth to enhance your knowledge.
The Biggest Gate in UFC History: UFC 306 at The Sphere (2024)
While PPV buys measure how many people watched at home, the gate measures how much money came from live ticket sales. And in 2024, the UFC broke every live event record in the book.
UFC 306, held at the Sphere in Las Vegas on September 14, 2024, set a new record as the highest-grossing UFC event of all time with a gate of $22 million and a sold-out crowd of 16,024. This topped the landmark UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden, which had previously held the record at $17.7 million.
The event also highlighted the UFC’s power as a tourism draw, with 89% of ticket buyers coming from outside Nevada.
The End of PPV: UFC Moves to Paramount+ in 2026
Here’s a big piece of news that changes everything.
The UFC’s run on the traditional PPV platform has come to an end, as all shows moved to the Paramount+ streaming service following UFC 323 on December 6, 2025. The UFC accepted a bumper $7.7 billion deal with the streaming giant.
This means fans in the USA can now watch all UFC events through a Paramount+ subscription, no more buying individual PPV events. This is a massive change for the sport and could affect future PPV buy records forever.
