Conor McGregor is back.
The UFC superstar returns Saturday night at UFC 329 to face Max Holloway in his first fight in over five years. McGregor last fought at UFC 264, where he suffered a broken left tibia and fibula.
The long-awaited return of the former champion has the fighting promotion set up for a massive weekend.
UFC president Dana White said UFC 329 will be the biggest gate in UFC history at $25 million, surpassing UFC 306 which grossed $21.8 million at the Las Vegas Sphere. On the secondary market, ticket prices remain high. As of Friday morning, the cheapest ticket available was $902 on SeatGeek, with the event having an average ticket price of $1,537 on TickPick.
UFC 329 could also set a viewership record. UFC Freedom 250 drew 17 million viewers in the U.S. and Latin America, averaging 8.2 million across both markets on Paramount+, with the global viewership number coming in at 34 million.
While Freedom 250 garnered more widespread attention than McGregor’s return, the Irishman’s star power should not be underestimated. McGregor has headlined 8 of the top 10 selling pay-per-views in UFC history, with his last bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 selling 1.5 million.
Despite the high-profile draw, CBS will not be simulcasting the fight, as it has with other UFC events since their $7.7 billion partnership began earlier this year. Instead, the network will air NCIS: Sydney and 48 Hours. CBS will air a one-hour special Friday night at 9:00 pm ET, featuring live coverage of the ceremonial weigh-ins and an interview with McGregor.
Still, all indications point to Saturday producing a massive number on Paramount+ that would rival Freedom 250. The live stream for Thursday’s press conference on YouTube peaked at around 233,000 viewers, which exceeds the viewership for the press conferences of UFC 328 (210,000) and UFC Freedom 250 (180,000). The presser drew a large crowd at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena as well, with over 7,000 in attendance, according to a UFC spokesperson.
McGregor Means Big Money
Both fighters in the main event are set to receive historic paydays.
McGregor, who has two fights remaining on his deal, previously said his contract was voided due to UFC moving away from a pay-per-view model on its new deal with Paramount. The superstar was able to reach a deal with the fighting promotion that keeps him as the highest-paid fighter in the sport.
“It’s multiples over anybody in the UFC, including Zuffa Boxing,” McGregor’s agent Audie Attar said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “It’s a historical number. UFC definitely moved way more than they ever have, and probably wanted to.”
Holloway, the former UFC featherweight champion, said Saturday night will be the biggest payday of his career. Other fighters like Poirier have discussed the record-setting payouts they’ve received for fighting McGregor, with the Irishman crudely calling it “red panty night” for his opponents when they face him.
“I’m back to knock the dust off those red panties, baby,” McGregor said Thursday. “Tell the wife, baby, we did it. McGregor’s home.”
