March 2023 is set to be a behemoth for the UFC, with the former light heavyweight king Jon Jones kicking off the month, with his anxiously anticipated return. Jones’ advent, followed by his triumphant displays in the UFC, dates back over a decade ago. The American had obtained the laurel of the youngest champion in the UFC in 2011 at the mere age of 23.
Safe to say, his career trajectory since then has been mesmerizing, to say the least, despite his troubles outside the octagon. In the ten years since he clinched the title for the first time, Jones has amassed a staggering 11 title defenses.
Furthermore, this feat is all the more impressive, considering the plethora of talents and former champions he has dismantled en route to his success.
Given the fact that he has amassed a substantial amount of success as a mixed martial artist, there remains a pertinent question on the minds of avid supporters of the sport. This is, is Jon Jones a pay-per-view draw? And if so, how many PPVs has he sold in his UFC career?
Also read: UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Cyril Gane- How Much Does the Ticket Cost?
Jon Jones pay-per-view numbers!
Contrary to popular belief, Jon Jones is indeed one of the most lucrative assets the UFC possesses. The 35-year-old’s body of work has enabled him to be a sizeable star in the company, second only to Conor McGregor over the years.
Despite the debates, Bones amassed himself as a pay-per-view draw, considering that he has only been in title fights for the last 12+ years. During his tyranny, he contributed to over 7,000,000 pay-per-view buys for the company.
This brings the average to an estimated 550,000. Given that the sport wasn’t relatively recognized globally prior to the arrival of pay-per-view king Conor McGregor, these numbers for the time are great.
Jones’ highest-selling pay-per-view came against former adversary Daniel Cormier in 2017. The pair locked horns for the second time, with Jones putting the heated rivalry to a close with a third-round knockout.
It was Jon Jones’ magnum opus. He had previously triumphed over DC in 2015 with a unanimous decision victory.
Also read: Why Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou Is Not Taking Place at UFC 285?
Expected pay-per-view numbers for UFC 285!
Given the state of affairs surrounding the UFC’s heavyweight division, UFC 285 will undoubtedly be a pay-per-view success. Apart from the return of the greatest martial artist in the history of the sport, the fight card features a number of exhilarating bouts.
Flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko makes her return to the octagon against Alexa Grasso in her eighth title defense. Mateusz Gamrot and Jalin Turner are expected to slug it out in the action-packed 155lbs division.
The topography of the UFC’s Welterweight division will be toppled as Geoff Neal and undefeated Kazakh Shavkat Rakhmonov both pursue a spot in the UFC’s ‘top five’ ranking.
Not to forget, the card also sees wrestling aficionado make his UFC debut. In essence, a phenomenal night of fights awaits the UFC faithful.
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