How big is UFC 284?
Big enough to shatter the all-time pay-per-view (PPV) record in Australia and New Zealand, previously set by Conor McGregor and … somebody. Sorry, but UFC President Dana White is having a hard time remembering names these days — even when it comes to his current champions — so just take his word for it.
“It’s a monster fight and just the gate alone out there is gonna be a [Madison Square Garden]-type gate,” White said at the UFC Vegas 68 post-fight press conference. “And the pre-buys for pay-per-view are … if I had my phone I’d walk you through every one of the things. It’s beating all the fights of its type and it’s probably going to beat the record for pay-per-view in Australia and New Zealand. The UFC, our record, which was Conor and somebody. But it looks like it’s going to break that record. It’s a monster fight.”
Sounds like White is referring to the PPV buys counted from that particular region as opposed to the global tally. I have a hard time imagining UFC 284, scheduled for this weekend at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, surpassing the promotion’s worldwide record of 2.4 million buys for this historic grudge match.
UFC 284 will be headlined by local hero Alex Volkanovski as he tries to capture a second belt at the expense of current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Prior to that five-round championship showdown, top featherweight contenders Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett will collide for the interim 145-pound title.
For the rest of the UFC 284 fight card and PPV lineup click here.