Ratings Report: UFC 181 Does Good PPV Numbers

The rematch between Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks was one of the year’s most fruitful pay-per-views.

Garnering an estimated 375,000 buys, the welterweight clash ended up being one of this year’s most drawing cards on television.

Dave Meltzer breaks down the report: (via MMAFighting.com)

The apparent decision to go with Johny Hendricks over Rory MacDonald for the next UFC welterweight title shot may have been fueled by the surprising success of the UFC 181 show.

Early estimates have the Dec. 6 show doing between 375,000 and 400,000 buys, well above what the company has done for any show since July. Estimates this early can vary significantly from the final numbers, and the UFC does not release pay-per-view numbers. Cable industry estimates have been roughly double that of UFC 180, which had been estimated at between 185,000 and 200,000 buys.