Usman-Edwards Rematch Breaks Ticket Records

Former welterweight kingpin Usman will attempt to reclaim the title from Leon Edwards, who dethroned him with a spectacular knockout at UFC 278 in August 2022.

The rematch, which will be their third encounter, will headline UFC 286 and will take place March 18 at The O2 Arena in London, England, which marks the organisation’s pay-per-view return to UK.

Although the MMA community is looking forward to the rematch, what caught the attention of fans is the extremely high ticket prices for the event.

According to a survey by Slots Online Canada, UFC 286 will have the second-highest average ticket price for a sporting event in 2023, right behind the National Football League Super Bowl LVII.

The tickets for UFC 286 are exorbitantly priced and range from $485 (N223,327) to $4,460 (N2m). Meanwhile, the tickets for the American Football Conference championship that concluded on February 13 were priced at $9,378 (N4.3m).

Super Bowl ticket prices reflect both the great demand and limited supply for the event. The customary halftime show, which typically comprises performances by some of the most famous artists in the world, can be directly linked to high ticket prices. However, it’s unclear why the cost of a UFC ticket is so steep.

MMA fans on Twitter were outraged after learning that ESPN was planning to raise the price of UFC pay-per-view events in 2023 by $5, from $74.99 to $79.99, starting with the UFC 283 PPV event in January. Needless to say, fight fans aren’t thrilled with the ticket pricing for UFC 286, headlined by Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman.

For the first time since 2016, a pay-per-view event will be held in the United Kingdom on March 18. There are a number of other fascinating bouts on the card besides the main event battle, including a lightweight bout between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev. Demand for tickets for the event was understandably high, with over 40,000 fans swiftly trying to book seats upon the release of tickets.

Edwards was recently asked on The MMA Hour if any of his fans had reached out to him to express their displeasure with the event’s ticket pricing, which has faced extreme scrutiny.

Rocky acknowledged his astonishment about the exorbitant rates, stating, “For me, I don’t understand why they’re so high. I think ringside, before it went on sale, was like four thousand pounds or dollars. That’s a lot of money, you know? It would be worth it if the fighters got paid more, but it all just goes back to the UFC anyway.

 “People have been messaging me saying, ’Why is it so expensive?’ I’m like, ‘Mate, I’m not making the prices.” But, yeah, it’s not good for the fans that can’t afford it. But it will still be a good show either way.”