By Cassandra Cousineau for LVSportsBiz.com
Las Vegas combat sports industry took on a different look after the global COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March. UFC President Dana White forged ahead in the teeth of a novel coronavirus pandemic to have the first major sports event in Jacksonville, Florida in May and then he worked with Nevada state athletic commission officials to stage the first live sport event at the promotion’s Apex building on May 30. UFC and also Top Rank boxing created controlled environments, or “bubbles,” to stage their events in compliance with state athletic standards.
Only two days ago, Las Vegas-based UFC closed out its 2020 fight year with a deep, though not particularly star-studded, card which brought the decades-long careers of former champions Jose Aldo and Anthony Pettis full circle. Former number one contender Stephen Thompson also proved he should still be considered in title shot contention. It was a night when veterans answered the question of whether they still belonged on the roster with exclamation mark wins.
Still, questions remain for the future of combat sports in Las Vegas as there is no live gate going into 2021.
The nation does optimistically look forward to the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. But it will be months before most people will have a chance at receiving a Pfizer or Moderna shot. The best thing promoters like Las Vegas-based Top Rank Boxing and UFC can do is prepare for more of the same while expecting the unexpected.
It’s been that kind of year for combat sports. Even a lucrative broadcast contract with ESPN hasn’t buffered UFC from needing to make significant cuts. UFC announced in November that it would cut 60 fighters. Those are short-term consequences. It remains to be seen how the loss of regional shows have impacted the depth of the fighter pool going forward.
Overall, it’s been quite a year. Here’s a look at 2020’s Top Five combat sports stories from LVSportsBiz.com:
One: UFC Invests Heavily in COVID Testing
Without the benefit of the collection of live gate money, UFC spent $17 million on 26,300 COVID tests. The number includes events scheduled in Florida, Las Vegas, and the so-called Fight Island on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Two: Nevada State Athletic Commission Instant Replay Controversy
After a review that took more than 20 minutes, the NSAC declared that the result of WBA super flyweight championship between Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney a no contest. When it comes to boxing, a no-contest is rare, but it happens. What you don’t see often is a full on meltdown from Top Rank founder Bob Arum threatening to pull his promotion from the city. The 88-year-old Hall of Famer left the bubble screaming that he would, “Get the ‘expletive’ out of Vegas,” as a result of the controversial call
Three: Top Rank Boxing Bubble
The return of boxing in the United States came by way of over 20 different protocols and a 20-page plan delivered to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Starting in April, and into the first event on June 9, the promotion began building its residency inside the entire 12th floor of the MGM Grand Hotel. Also included were 170 rooms in addition to the entire first floor of the MGM Conference Center for training, meals, and the studio where the fights were held. As reported by ESPN, Top Rank cards averaged 1,102,000 viewers, up 40 percent over Saturday telecasts from 2019. That includes Terence Crawford’s TKO over Kell Brook in November, TV’s most-watched bout since Jan. 2019.
Four: Wilder-Fury II Gate Sets Heavyweight Record of $16.9 million
It seems so long ago when live events drew mega crowds to Las Vegas. Yet, it did happen. On Feb. 22, Tyson Fury defeated Deontay Wilder for the heavyweight championship in front of a sell-out crowd of 15,816 packed into the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The live gate generated just over $16.9 million in ticket revenue. The total figure surpassed the previous record of $16.86 million set when Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in their 1999 rematch at the Thomas & Mack Center. According to Top Rank Boxing founder Bob Arum the fight also generated 1.2 million pay-per-view buys in the United States. The number includes approximately 850,000 from traditional methods, and over 300,000 from digital streaming services.
YouTuber Boxing Isn’t Going Anywhere
Every time Floyd Mayweather speaks the sports entertainment world listens. The 43-year-old Mayweather is retired, and still the sport of boxing’s biggest name and brand. The 150-pound, 50-0 Mayweather announced on December 6, he will be fighting the 200-pound, 0-1 YouTuber Logan Paul in an exhibition on Feb. 20. The Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor spectacle boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in August 2018 generated 4.3 million domestic pay-per-view buys and more than $600 million in total revenue. If we follow Money, Mayweather and his YouTuber friends aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.