During the pre-fight press conference for UFC 217, UFC President Dana White made an unexpected statement. When asked about how the UFC has fared over the past year since last being at New York’s Madison Square Garden, White explained that 2017 has been the promotion’s best year ever. “This will be the biggest year in the company’s history. We’re on track for the biggest year ever. So it’s been good,” he said.
With the UFC having faced low pay-per-view sales throughout the year and a lack of octagon performances from UFC superstars Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey, some fight fans have not found the year to be so great for the UFC. Still, Dana White is adamant on the topic.
Speaking in the post-fight press conference for UFC 217, White explained that the success of Conor McGregor’s professional boxing debut is a performance he is considering when estimating the success of the UFC in 2017.
“It’s revenue that the company made, that we spent four months of our resources promoting.” White said.
“Notorious” went toe-to-toe with Floyd Mayweather Jr. inside the T-Mobile Arena back in August. While the UFC lightweight champion suffered a TKO loss, McGregor also walked away with the payday of his career. The fighter earned an expected $100 million for his boxing debut. The fight broke the pay-per-view sales record by over two million purchases.
