UFC
UFC 136 reportedly does just around 250,000 pay-per-view buys
Oct 20, 2011 - 10:15:21 AM UFC 136 reportedly does just around 250,000 pay-per-view buys

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Early pay-per-view numbers have come in for UFC 136, and the news isn't good.

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, early trending numbers for the show have it coming in around 250,000 buys. That would make it the lowest buyrate for a title fight in years.

It makes it even more disappointing that the event had two title fights in Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard and Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian. The former was also a rematch of one of the best fights of the year, and the latter was Aldo's second fight in the organization after debuting in Toronto.

Penick's Analysis: This shows us two things: the "draw" of Chael Sonnen was massively overstated, and the interest level in the lower weight classes - especially in close proximity to major title fights in the light heavyweight and, until this week, welterweight divisions - isn't there. Gray Maynard is not a draw, and Frankie Edgar needs a stronger personality against him to really garner interest amongst the casual fanbase. This was a huge card for the hardcore fans, and that's where this number comes in, but it can't be seen as anything but a massive disappointment that they only came in around 250,000 buys.