UFC CEO Dana White has already stated that UFC 306 at the Sphere will be a spectacular show, but the event itself is looking to deliver a spectacular number when the final gate receipts are totalled.
“It’s on par with the Canelo fight,” White told veteran combat sports reporter Kevin Iole.
“Obviously, this is a one-of-one event. I’m $20 f*****g million dollars into this thing. I’m anywhere between $17 and $20 million right now, and the fight isn’t until September 14th.”
Per RG.org, White stated that the cheapest ticket for fight night at the Sphere is $1,500. That compares with $700 for UFC 300, which delivered the third highest-grossing event in UFC history.
The exclusive nature of the event has meant that fan demand for tickets has been high, despite the high ticket prices. It means White is expecting huge gate receipts for the September 14 event, with the UFC boss stating that he is expecting “anywhere from $25 to $27 million.”
The record for the highest-grossing event in UFC history is currently held by UFC 205, which attracted $17.7 million.
That event saw the Octagon arrive in New York city for the very first time, as Conor McGregor stopped Eddie Alvarez to capture the undisputed UFC lightweight title and make history as the promotion’s first-ever simultaneous two-division world champion.
But with the UFC’s event on Mexican Independence Day weekend offering a one-off fan viewing experience, plus a world title double header featuring Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili, and Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko, UFC 306 could be about to push UFC 205, and McGregor, into second place.
