The UFC takes 6 spots in the Top 10 pay-per-view buys of 2009:

[jmt225]

1. UFC 100: Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir, July 11, 1.6 million
2. Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto, Nov. 14, 1.25 million
3. Boxing: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, Sept. 19, 1.05 millon
4. UFC 94: Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn, Jan. 31, 920,000 buys
5. UFC 101: Penn vs. Kenny Florian/Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin, Aug. 8, 850,000
6. Boxing: Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton, May 2, 825,000
7t. UFC 107: Penn vs. Diego Sanchez, Dec. 12, 650,000
7t. UFC 97: Silva vs. Thales Leites/Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua, April 18, 650,000
9. UFC 98: Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans/Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra, May 23, 635,000
10. WWE WrestleMania 25, April 5, 582,000 buys

Considering they ended the year off terribly with the injuries and what not, the year 2009 was great to the UFC. Not only do they have these pay-per-view buys, but let's not forget the ratings the Ultimate Fighter pulled in last season, including a nearly 7 million viewing audience for Kimbo's first fight, and an over 5 million viewing audience for Kimbo's fight on the finale. One hell of a year, numbers wise, for the UFC.

Question is... will the year 2010 top it, or will this be the peak for the UFC and MMA as a whole for quite a while?

......................................................................​

I think most would agree - it all depends on Brock Lesnar's health. Outside of a Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight (which isn't happening anytime soon), I don't see a boxing fight outdrawing Brock Lesnar. Why? I think that's simple, not because MMA is better than boxing, but because people will always prefer Heavyweights over the little guys. It's why Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, and Rocky Marciano are the names you hear first when talking boxing greats. America, and I think the entire World for that matter, have always been intrigued by HUGE motherfuckers who could beat anybody up. And that's exactly what Brock Lesnar is, which is why he's such a draw.

Now, if Brock Lesnar for some reason still isn't able to fight for the year 2010, I still think the UFC will pull some solid numbers. UFC 112 is stacked, and Rashad/Rampage and Machida/Shogun 2 should draw, but without Lesnar, I don't think the UFC can put on a card that can outdraw Mayweather vs. Mosley or Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey (or Pac Man and Mayweather vs. Anybody for that matter). Regardless, however, I still don't see boxing putting on more cards that make the top 10 than the UFC, since Mayweather and Pac are literally their only draws left, and since I don't see either fighting more than twice this year.

Now as far as pro wrestling... I mean, man... I wish it all the best, but this PG crap we're having to put up with isn't going to help WWE get back to what they once were. Kids cannot buy wrestling pay-per-views, and a lot of kids have bed times before 9:00 PM on Sundays (and Mondays for that matter), so it's not like they'll be able to force their parents to let them buy a $45 pay-per-view, when they can't even stay up for it. Jesus... I really, really want to go on a rant about this, but fuck it - WWE just isn't worth the time right now, and they won't be pulling UFC/Boxing numbers again anytime soon to be relevant in this discussions anyway. So fuck 'em.

 

[INDYjon22]

It is very impressive that MMA took 6 of the 10 spots but really not all that shocking. MMA has been growing at such a fast rate over the last 6 or so years and I don't see that changing anytime soon. The only really anticipated boxing fight left to happen is Pacquia and Mayweather and like you said JMT, that is not happening anytime soon. I wouldn't be at all surprised if by the time this list is given again next year if boxing is completely off the list or only one event is on it.

As for wrestling, it has gradually gone down hill but appears to be on the way up again. With TNA becoming a force and WWE uping their game the business should pick up. Nothing like competition to kick something or someone in to gear. I could see 2 or 3 of their shows being on the list next year but that all depends on how both companies book their shows and what not.

I see it like this, at the rate UFC is going it will continue to hold most of the spots next year, in fact I see them having at least 7 shows on the list. Boxing will probably get 1 on the list and wrestling will get 2. That is just how I see the pecking order right now, MMA, Wrestling, and boxing in that order. I also would not be surprised to see UFC get even bigger because they have barely touched the glass ceiling in my eyes.

 

[Via Armbar]

Agreed with what has already been said, Lesnar is the biggest draw they have ever had. I don't see this changing unless he comes back and loses a couple fights in a row. Then again I don't see that happening either. There are still a ton of good matches for him even if he loses his return fight against Carwin or Mir, and he even drew really good numbers when he fought Herring. And as great as Herring was he was never a huge draw for the company and the fact that he was fighting Lesnar had people interested even if they weren't familiar with Herring or even the sport.

With increasing buy rates, the lesser known fighters are getting more and more coverage. People are going to care about who's on the undercard now. They're going to get to see the young rookies make their way up. Once people care about undercards then buyrates will grow even larger and you the rates for the pay per views without a title fight won't lose buys as much. Guys like Bones Jones, Rumble, Bader and so on are gaining fan bases because people bought a card they were featured on to see Lesnar or GSP or Penn or whoever. When you have guys that bring in huge numbers like Lesnar, you have the chance to show off the rest of your product to fair weather fans, people who aren't buying every card. When they become familiar with more and more fighters the interest for cards grow and buy rates increase. So i really don't see how 2010 can't top 2009 even with the injury bug that has been putting top fighters out for the past 3 or 4 months.

If we're talking boxing, then I agree that outside of Mayweather/Pacquiao there aren't any fights that will outdraw Lesnar. Now Mayweather and Pacquiao can draw just fine without fighting eachother, but not the numbers the UFC pulls in when Brock fights. Boxing has really cornered itself and the garbage promoters have made it so that there are no huge stars anymore in the sport. There are very very few heavyweights people care about and that's where a ton of the money used to be.

As far as the WWE goes, with their current product I don't see them being able to top some of the biggest UFC cards. Without going on forever about what Vince and family can do differently to change that, I think the fact that the market is different now then it was ten years ago is huge. There will always be people who only watch UFC or only watch WWE or the ones who watch both, but it's foolish to think that the WWE hasn't lost ANY of their audience to Zuffa.

 

[Kasey]

This growth trend will continue. MMA is by far the fastest growing sport in the world. Now with the UFC's international expansion plans the partnership with the Middle-Easters, you'll definitely see them making more inroads and establishing footholds where boxing and wrestling won't be able to go. Aside from a couple of the prize fights mentioned earlier in the thread and maybe Wrestlemania, Zuffa will dominate 2010 unless something amazing happens.

 

[texans420]

I just laugh when boxing fan says his sport is still on top. Without the major superfight, boxing can't hold up to MMA just based on the egos and personalities involved to begin with. These numbers prove that boxing has this McMahon-esque ego thinking they are bigger than the revenues and PPV buys that are coming in as a whole as of late. Besides, MMA can usually get to the matter at hand to give the fans the fight they want to see on a lot more consistent basis and not let ego get in the way of getting a fight set up.