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GSP vs Shields nearly triples former UFC attendance record
GSP vs Shields nearly triples former UFC attendance record
PostPosted:Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:31 am
by Julius Seeker
The highest attendance rate at a UFC event in the US was 19K; although this amount ranked behind two other Canadian events which held 23K and 21K. UFC 129 which features the popular Canadian fighter and current Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre vs the former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields - who stunned audiences when he dominated Dan Henderson to defend the title last year.
Very interesting from an attendance standpoint. The event is being held at Skydome in Toronto. There fight will most likely be a decision =P
I don't want to make a prediction on who will win =P
Re: GSP vs Shields nearly triples former UFC attendance reco
PostPosted:Sun May 01, 2011 7:55 am
by Julius Seeker
Dana White discusses the biggest UFC event in history, held last night at the Skydome in Toronto:
Sherdog wrote:The final numbers are in for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s record-setting Saturday stop at Rogers Centre in Toronto. UFC 129 “St. Pierre vs. Shields” officially drew 55,724 fans for a live gate of $12.075 million, smashing both promotional and North American MMA records.
UFC President Dana White announced the figures during the event’s post-fight news conference.
The 12-fight card, which was broadcast on pay-per-view and in part through Facebook and Spike TV, was headlined by UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre’s title defense against Jake Shields. Though he emerged battered and bloodied, the Canadian champion displayed more than enough striking prowess to turn away his American challenger and earn a unanimous decision after five rounds.
Tickets for UFC 129 went on sale to the general public on Feb. 12 and sold out in mere minutes. Originally configured to hold 42,000, the Rogers Centre seating was reconfigured with 55,000 seats due to enormous demand.
The final tally of attendees more than doubled the UFC’s previous record, set when 23,152 filled the Bell Centre in Montreal to watch St. Pierre defeat Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 on Dec. 11. Also doubled was the existing live gate mark, which previously stood at $5.4 million from UFC 66 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 30, 2006.
It doesn't state it, but UFC66 was Liddell vs Ortiz 2.
On the worldwide scale, the event ranked 3rd for MMA events (13th if you include K-1 events), the other 19 of the top 20 consist of 18 PRIDE FC events and one DREAM event. The two MMA events that rank higher than UFC 129 are: Pride Shockwave 2002 (71,000) which featured Bob Sapp vs Nogueira, Cro Cop vs Sakuraba, and Wanderlei Silva vs Tasuya Iwasaki. Pride Final Conflict 2003 (67,451) which featured CroCop vs Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva vs Rampage, Rampage vs Chuck Liddell, Sakuraba vs Kevin Randleman, Dan Henderson vs Bustamante, and Wanderlei Silva vs Hidehiko Yoshida.
* Randy Couture loses after being KO'd by Machida's front kick almost directly on the 1 minute mark in the second round.
* Sorry Kupek, but this main event with GSP and Shields clearly showed, once again, exactly why the Octagon sucks. At least we know that GSP can run for a long period of time. Another problem with MMA showed up in this fight, that is scoring a fight by rounds instead of by the fight - and I am a long time fan of GSP, but while he won the match at 3 rounds to 2 (barely), he clearly lost the fight.
Re: GSP vs Shields nearly triples former UFC attendance reco
PostPosted:Mon May 02, 2011 2:50 pm
by Kupek
The GSP-Shields fight would have been the same in a ring. There was little cage work, and the takedowns that did happen were out in the open, without the aid of the cage wall.
Re: GSP vs Shields nearly triples former UFC attendance reco
PostPosted:Mon May 02, 2011 5:30 pm
by Julius Seeker
I am not discussing the "cage work" in this case. It is the large open space in a round environment that certain fighters have mastered using in order to avoid getting in situations where they must engage the opponent. This strategy doesn't work in a ring which is square and smaller.