Conor McGregor holds top five pay-per-view records after revealing figures from UFC 257

January's rematch against Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi reported to have sold more than 1.5m buys

Conor McGregor lands a punch on Dustin Poirier during their fight at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi.

Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor during their lightweight fight at UFC 257.

Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor of Ireland at the UFC 257 press conference event inside Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 21, 2021 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

Dustin Poirier reacts after his knockout victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 257. Reuters

Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor face off during the UFC 257 weigh-in in Abu Dhabi in January.

Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor face-off ahead of their fight at UFC 257 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Conor McGregor celebrates his win against Donald Cerrone at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in January 18, 2020.

Conor McGregor arrives for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Conor McGregor moves in for a hit against Donald Cerrone during UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Conor McGregor celebrates after defeating Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone during UFC 246 on January 18, 2020, in Las Vegas.

Conor McGregor during a press conference in Russia where he took the opportunity to reveal his comeback to the UFC.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, defeated Conor McGregor by submission in their October 2018 UFC bout in Las Vegas.

If proof were needed that Conor McGregor remains the biggest draw in UFC, then it arrived late on Monday – from the man himself.

The Irishman, a former two-division champion, posted on social media evidence of the total pay-per-view buys for his rematch against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi in January, with the document reporting the event racked up more than 1.5 million buys.

With that figure in mind — 1,504,737 to be exact — McGregor has been part of every one of the top five highest-selling pay-per-views in UFC history (and eight of the top 10). For instance, his trilogy fight with Poirier, at UFC 264 in July, is estimated to have sold around 1.8m.

The former featherweight and lightweight champion, who earlier this year was named by Forbes as the highest-earning athlete in sport, is currently recovering from a broken leg sustained in that summer defeat to Poirier in Las Vegas.

Top 5 UFC pay-per-view sales all-time (reported)

1) 2.4m: McGregor v Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC 229, T-Mobile Arena, October 2018.

Nurmagomedov wins via fourth-round submission.

2) 1.8m: McGregor v Dustin Poirier, UFC 264, T-Mobile Arena, July 2021.

Poirier wins via first-round TKO (doctor stoppage).

3) 1.6m: McGregor v Nate Diaz, UFC 202, T-Mobile Arena, August 2016.

McGregor wins via majority decision.

4) 1.5m: McGregor v Dustin Poirier, UFC257, Etihad Arena, January 2021.

Poirier wins via second-round TKO.

5) 1.35m: McGregor v Donald Cerrone, UFC 246, T-Mobile Arena, January 2019

McGregor wins via first-round TKO (40 seconds).