The choke Blog: UFC Learns the Hard Way That Title Fights = PPV Buys

UFC Learns the Hard Way That Title Fights = PPV Buys

12:43 choke!!

Though all of the big-money fights scheduled for the spring/summer promise to turn their fortunes around, Zuffa has taken some serious hits lately. First we heard that WEC 47 pulled in a dismal 373,000 viewers, which was their second-smallest audience in two years — not exactly the level of heat you want going into your first pay-per-view card. Now, we hear that UFC 110 istrending at an estimated 215,000-240,000 pay-per-view buys, which follows very disappointing performances by UFC 108 and UFC 109. Sure, we all knew the UFC's fall/winter injury curse would have fans playing pick-and-choose, but the numbers are straight-up grim. Via BloodyElbow, here's how the UFC's pay-per-view cards have performed starting with the high-water mark of UFC 100 last July:

In 2009 the UFC averaged 620,000 buys per ppv event. If we look at the percentage each event was above or below that average we can definitely see a downward trend from 100.
UFC 100 1,600,000 + 245%

UFC 101 850,000 + 29%
UFC 102 435,000 -30%

UFC 103 375,000 -40%
UFC 104 500,000 -20%

UFC 106 375,000 -40%
UFC 107 620,000 +/- 0

UFC 108 300,000 -51%
UFC 109 275,000 -55%

UFC 110 240,000 -62%
Average with title on line 820,000

Average with non-title main event 370,000