The UFC was in Omaha, Nebraska for Wednesday's debut UFC Fight Night on Fuel TV. MMA Weekly reported the gate and attendance figures as 6,283 attendees for a total of $405,895 in receipts.
MMA Mania points out that the numbers were down a bit from the UFC's last visit to Warren Buffett's hometown:
Those numbers are down from the promotion's previous trip to Omaha for UFC Fight Night 15: "Diaz vs. Neer," back on Sept. 17, 2008, which garnered 9,103 fans for a $700,000 live gate.
UFC on Fuel TV featured a headliner between welterweight contenders Jake Ellenberger and Diego Sanchez. Ellenberger survived a third round scare to garner a unanimous decision win. The co-main event saw heavyweight Stefan Struve get a second round TKO over Dave "Pee Wee" Herman.
The promotion handed out $50,000 Fight Night bonuses to Ivan Menjivar for Submission of the Night, Stipe Miocic for Knock Out of the Night and Sanchez and Ellenberger for Fight of the Night.
0 recs | 21 comments
Slightly off-topic
and not to be a conspiracy theorist here, but it sure seemed to me that the UFC wanted Ellenberger to win that fight, and that is the sole reason why it was 3 rounds. They knew Diego could wear him out in a 5 rd. fight if he survived the first two, and they wanted to push the more exciting prospect fighting in his hometown over the guy who’s been around since TUF 1. I just don’t see how they could make Munoz/Leben a 5 rounder and then make this a 3, makes absolutely no sense to me unless they had ulterior motives.
Ak.Death - February 17, 2012
Munoz/Leben was at UFC 138 a PPV and this was essentially an Ultimate Fight Night
I know they said “all main events will be 5 rounds starting w/ UFC 138” but what they really meant was “all main events on PPV and Fox will be 5 rounds”
Mjub - February 17, 2012
138 wasn’t a ppv. It was a UK card that was tape delayed on Spike.
Chris Hall - February 17, 2012 via Android app
I wonder if the UFC will start to reduce prices in any significant way.
I went to the last show in town, and while it was good – it was my first UFC show – it wasn’t mind blowing or anything. I can’t really see myself spending that kind of money again for another live show unless the main event is something spectacular, or unless I can get one of the really cheap seat tickets, which tend to sell out before you can blink. I entered Fightclub so I can have first dibs, but after seeing so many tickets up for resale on the internet, I have decided not to bother, as the tickets dropped quite a bit in price close to fight night. I’m sure I’m not the only one in this boat. I’d like to see tickets come down a bit, because if they did, as a fan, I’d be more inclined to go to two or three shows a year if I knew I could get a bit more bang for the buck.
pud333 - February 17, 2012
I feel the same way about PPV’s, I buy pretty much every one and $45-55 is just too much for the amount of events they are putting on, IMO.
Ak.Death - February 17, 2012
Money is so tight these days.
Gotta watch where every cent goes. $30-$40 / month would be easier to justify to the girlfriend than $55. I’d have no problems buying every single PPV then.
pud333 - February 17, 2012
at some point
you’d think they’d pick up on the fact that their ticket prices are too high.
Nate Wilcox - February 17, 2012
It's like they don't care,
or they’re trying to see just how far they can push fans.
pud333 - February 17, 2012
whats funny
is dana said after (102 ) I thank .
that they missed the mark with ticket prices and whould watch it closely in the future
Elstriko - February 17, 2012 via Android app
lots of people are having trouble pricing tickets in the stubhub era. they’ll figure it out.
Phildo - February 17, 2012 via Android app
Does it matter
that Omaha is Warren Buffett’s hometown? Seems like a random fact to throw in there.
RagingBronco - February 17, 2012
forgive me for being creative
Nate Wilcox - February 17, 2012
How dare he throw in random facts with his articles, what an asshole for making you read that half-sentence.
Ak.Death - February 17, 2012
you should've seen the first draft
“Omaha’s pioneer period began in 1854 when the city was founded by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned the city its nickname, the “Gateway to the West.” During the 19th century, Omaha’s central location in the United States caused the city to become an important national transportation hub. Throughout the rest of the 19th century, the transportation and jobbing sectors were important in the city, along with its railroads and breweries. In the 20th century, the Omaha Stockyards, once the world’s largest, and its meatpacking plants, gained international prominence."
merryprankster - February 17, 2012
That's Nate's big brain for you.
pud333 - February 17, 2012
I remember seeing on BE's FB page that Tiq
Zachary Kater - February 17, 2012
Yeah, that was some pretty unbe
Ak.Death - February 17, 2012
Un-Bloody Elbow, you say?
Zachary Kater - February 17, 2012
Try this again.
I remember seeing on BE’s FB page that TiqIQ had 2 floor seats for $235 total the week before. Seemed like crazy low figures for resale, but now after seeing the attendance I guess it makes sense.
Zachary Kater - February 17, 2012
And 217,000 people watched it
http://mmajunkie.com/news/27470/ufc-on-fuel-tv-1-ratings-debut-event-scores-217000-viewers.mma
The UFC drew Bellator numbers with a third of the avaliable homes Bellator has impressive.
MattParker117 - February 17, 2012
im only about 2 and a half hours from omaha…
i really wanted to go
but what kinda kills it for me is that its on a wednesday nite
i want the weigh ins photo shoots autograph signings…i want the whole 9 yards when i go to the UFC . but then i would need tuesday wednesday and thursday off from work…its too much…bring an event some1 within 300miles of me on a SATURDAY!!
baldspot23 - February 17, 2012
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