Former UFC champion claims PPV is a 'dying revenue model' after Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou registers shockingly low numbers

Former UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg recently weighed in on the reported pay-per-view (PPV) numbers for the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match. Based on the shockingly low numbers, she claimed that the PPVs were a "dying model" for combat sports promotions to earn revenue.

Ngannou made his long-awaited boxing debut against the WBC heavyweight champion last weekend in Riyadh. Given that the former UFC heavyweight champion shockingly quit the promotion while being an active titleholder earlier this year, many were eager to see how he performs in the boxing ring.

Despite many dismissing his chances against Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou surprisingly held his own against the lineal heavyweight champion and pushed the Englishman to his limits. However, Fury ultimately won via a controversial split decision. While the result of their boxing match was a popular topic of conversation in the combat sports world, it seems the PPV itself did poorly.

@HappyPunch recently shared a report by veteran journalist Dave Meltzer, stating that the Fury-Ngannou fight only had 11,500 cable television buys and 56,000 streams on ESPN+ in the USA. Given the hype behind this star-studded event, these numbers are surprisingly low.

Reacting to this news, Cris Cyborg quote-tweeted the post and suggested that pay-per-views may no longer serve as a viable way of earning money in combat sports. She wrote:

"PPV is a dying revenue model."

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Dana White on Francis Ngannou going the distance with Tyson Fury

Dana White recently weighed in on the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match. The UFC CEO surprisingly praised 'The Predator' for his performance and lauded him for lasting 10 rounds against one of the greatest heavyweight boxers today.

It's no secret that there's no love lost between Ngannou and White. The two had an ugly falling out after the Cameroonian left the UFC earlier this year due to their contract renewal negotiations going sour. White denying Ngannou permission to pursue his boxing dreams while under contract was reportedly a major reason behind their dispute.

Soon after his exit, Francis Ngannou was linked to several high-profile pugilists like Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua. However, he ultimately secured a bout against his dream opponent Tyson Fury.

As mentioned, not many gave Francis Ngannou a chance against the undefeated Englishman. However, the Cameroonian went the distance with Fury and impressed everyone with his tenacity and skill.

In a recent interview with Donald Trump Jr., Dana White revealed that he didn't watch the fight but was impressed by Ngannou. He said:

"The fact that he went 10 rounds with Tyson Fury is crazy. He just went 10 rounds with Tyson Fury, Conor [McGregor] made it 9 or 10 with Floyd... I didn’t see the fight, but the fact that he went 10 rounds is unbelievable."