It was a rare weekend where the UFC found itself sharing the spotlight, and the results turned out to be surprisingly one-sided.
While the promotion staged UFC Vegas 117 at the Apex, a new player entered the scene with its debut event on Netflix. Headlined by Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano, the MVP MMA card drew significant attention across North America.
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Despite some criticism around matchmaking, the event still managed to generate strong viewership. According to analyst Dave Meltzer, the broadcast climbed to the No. 1 spot on Netflix in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Interestingly, the event was categorized under “movies” rather than sports or television, yet still performed well globally, even breaking into the top rankings worldwide.
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The timing makes the achievement more notable. The main event aired late on the East Coast, yet still attracted a wide audience, outperforming other major programming in the same category.
The prelims, streamed for free on YouTube, also gained traction, reportedly reaching over 400,000 concurrent viewers at one stage. While exact figures remain unclear, the early signs suggest strong engagement for a first-time promotion.
In contrast, the UFC’s offering that night struggled to gain similar momentum. UFC Vegas 117 reportedly delivered the lowest viewership of the promotion’s Paramount+ era, falling significantly below its usual benchmarks.
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Adding to the buzz, the MVP card featured recognizable names beyond its headline bout, including Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz, helping drive curiosity among a broader audience.