Ronda Rousey certified herself as the UFC’s top star this August, with UFC 190 shocking most by drawing over 900,000 buys on pay-per-view. The event didn’t have a ton on the undercard, and her challenger Bethe Correia was seen as easy fodder and a somewhat undeserving contender given her lack of top end wins. Despite that, Rousey’s star power boosted it to the top draw of the year.
Dana White thinks Saturday’s UFC 193 event will be even bigger.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani ahead of the event at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, White said everything is pointing to an even better buyrate for Rousey’s headlining fight with Holly Holm.
“This thing’s trending off the charts,” he said. “It’s a massive event. It will beat the Brazil fight.”
If that’s the case, it could become the first to top a million buys since December 2013’s UFC 168 pay-per-view, which was headlined by the Chris Weidman-Anderson Silva rematch, but also featured Rousey’s second fight with Miesha Tate in the co-main event.
Penick’s Analysis: With how much mainstream push Rousey’s been getting into this one, and with how many non-UFC watchers may be tuning in specifically to see her compete, I wouldn’t be surprised if it topped a million buys. She’s become that level of star. With another big rush into tomorrow night, this one’s likely to be a big, big draw. Just how big remains to be seen.
[Photo (c) Jason da Silva via USA Today Sports]
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