Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2 pay-per-view buys: Was UFC 257 the highest-selling event in history?

With 1.6 million pay-per-view buys, UFC 257 featuring Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier is officially set to become the second highest-selling event in the promotion's history, only behind UFC 229 which was headlined by Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Per Sports Business Journal, the recently concluded event which featured the much-awaited return of Conor McGregor sold 1.2 million PPVs in the United States alone and another 400,000 buys across the globe. UFC 257 was headlined by a lightweight encounter between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.

ESPN+ registered around 1.2 million PPV buys for Saturday's UFC 257, sources say. SBJ Media is live: 🔒https://t.co/o6WhouUubY🔒 pic.twitter.com/9ahOJLDMKM

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) January 26, 2021

Although McGregor succumbed to a disappointing knockout loss at the hands of Poirier in their rematch, the Irishman will be happy to know that he has now featured in all of the top-five highest-selling UFC PPVs of all time.

The highest selling card in the promotion's history remains the 2018 magnum opus UFC 229, featuring a highly anticipated grudge match between McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event. The event smashed all previous records and ended up with 2.4 million PPV buys.

The second-highest card was UFC 202 which was headlined by a rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. The event sold a total of 1.6 million buys but is now set to be replaced by UFC 257, which has already crossed the 1.6 million mark and is expected to improve on the number in the coming weeks.

The other events that feature in the top five highest selling PPVs list are UFC 196: McGregor vs Diaz, UFC 246: McGregor vs Cerrone, and UFC 205: Alvarez vs McGregor respectively.

See Here: Conor McGregor's Salary & Endorsements

Has Conor McGregor's drawing power taken a hit following UFC 257?

Even in defeat, Conor McGregor remains the biggest draw in the UFC. His popularity translates into a record-breaking number of PPV buys for the UFC every time he steps inside the octagon. While his aura has been dealt a major blow following the defeat against Poirier, it will be safe to say that his next fight will stir massive interest among the MMA community once again.

💥 Top PPV figures in UFC history:1️⃣ Khabib v McGregor - 2.4m2️⃣ Poirier v McGregor II - 1.6m3️⃣ Diaz v McGregor II - 1.6m4️⃣ McGregor v Cerrone - 1.35m5️⃣ McGregor v Diaz - 1.3m@TheNotoriousMMA is the UFC. 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/Z1ggA5vyUh

— thesportsman (@TheSportsman) January 29, 2021

However, Conor McGregor needs to be careful. Another loss inside the octagon might put his career in a state of jeopardy. His drawing power will undoubtedly take a hit and the UFC will be reluctant to pay him the kind of money they currently do for stepping inside the cage.