Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor is a month away from finally returning to the Octagon against Max Holloway, a rematch 13 years in the making, at UFC 329 in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.
With any UFC fight featuring McGregor, the stakes could not be higher. McGregor has been part of some of the biggest events in company history, including UFC 189, UFC 196, and UFC 229, to name a few.
Despite a loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018, the event sold a record 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. Nearly eight years later, the UFC has shifted away from the pay-per-view model in favor of streaming, which is a benefit to fans choosing to tune in from home through Paramount+ for a flat fee.
Conor McGregor To Return To UFC July 11
What isn’t a benefit to fans, though, are ticket prices. Some are arguably too expensive to shell out the type of money that some are going for. However, according to UFC CEO Dana White, the promotion will benefit from a potentially record-breaking gate.
“Listen, Conor, you guys know as well as I do, I mean he’s a f***ing, he’s a powerhouse, man,” White told reporters Tuesday in Washington D.C. ahead of UFC Freedom 250.
Although White’s focus in on ensuring Sunday’s rare outdoor event goes off smoothly, he admitted that the anticipation of seeing a fully healthy McGregor fight next month is exciting.
“We put Power Slap on sale,” White added, noting its upcoming event. “Power Slap sold out in an hour so, we added 250 or 200 more tickets. [It] sold out in 15 minutes. I’m sure everything that’s going on in Vegas, International Fight Week, is selling out. So it’s great to have Conor back.”
McGregor’s last win came in Jan. 2020, as he has remained inactive from MMA competition since a July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight at UFC 264.
Even though the UFC’s event at the MSG Sphere took place in Sept. 2024, White said he’s confident McGregor’s return beats a nearly $22 million-dollar live gate.
UFC 329 Holds Potential Historical Significance
“This should break the [gate] record,” White said of UFC 329. “The record is The Sphere right now ,and this should break the Sphere record.”
McGregor withdrew from UFC 303 against Michael Chandler in June 2024, making his return one of the most highly-anticipated in UFC history.
Should he come away victorious, more records are likely to be broken. But only time will tell.
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